Gut-symbiont
Guides
Blaberus discoidalis
discoid cockroach, tropical cockroach, West Indian leaf cockroach, false death's head cockroach, Haitian cockroach, drummer
Blaberus discoidalis is a large cockroach in the family Blaberidae, native to Central America and the Caribbean. Adults measure 35–45 mm and are tan with a distinctive dark brown to black pronotal patch that resembles the death's head marking of Blaberus craniifer, hence the common name "false death's head cockroach." The species is gregarious and has been extensively studied in laboratory settings for its locomotion, sensory processing, and social behavior. It is widely used as feeder insects for captive reptiles and amphibians due to its ease of rearing and nutritional profile.
Odontotaenius disjunctus
patent-leather beetle, horned passalus, betsy beetle, Jerusalem beetle
Odontotaenius disjunctus is a large, flight-capable but predominantly walking beetle that inhabits decaying hardwood logs in temperate North American forests. Adults exhibit subsocial behavior, including cooperative brood care and acoustic communication via stridulation. The species plays a significant role in wood decomposition through specialized gut microbiomes that digest lignocellulose.