Blattodea - cockroaches and termites

“Blatta”

= cockroach

development

paurometabolous

cockroach body characteristics

cursorial legs

tegmina forewing

hypognathous

chewing mouthpart

moniliform antennae

termite body characteristics

cursorial legs

most wingless - membranous if present

chewing mouthparts

prognathous

moniliform antennae

key features

cockroaches have flattened, oval, broad body with lathery outer coating

termites are soft-bodied social insects

found in soil, leaf litter, wood, etc

cockroach physical characteristics

flattened body shape

hypognathous

large pronotum

2 ocelli

some wingless

pair of cerci at end of abdomen

leaproach genus

Saltoblattodea has a thickened femurs on metathoracic legs - saltatorial

diet

mainly omnivores, detritovores that scavenge for organic material - essential in N cycle

host to ________

many parasitic diseases

synthropic species have spread worldwide through commercial trade

species known to inhabit areas of poor sanitation

known to carry and transmit diseases

Helminths are pathogenic to verts and are transmitted by intermediate host

disease transmission

through contaminated food or water

carry parthogens on feet and other body parts

cockroach feeding result

always regurgitate partially digested food and leave it behind along with feces

insecticide resistance

species have adapted to no longer crave sugar after increased sugar bait popularity

defense mechanisms of cockroaches

run and hide

hissing

aposematic coloration

mimicry

produce noxious cmpds

mating and courtship of cockroaches

F produce a chemical pheromone to attract M

F and M touch antennae

M produce aphrodisiac from rectum and F mounts his back and licks them up

F dismounts and turns backwards for copulation some

some species rely on the production of sounds to find mate

M of Nauphotea cinera will rub rigid portion of forewing on pronotum

Madagascar hissing M engage in fights for F while making loud hissing noises

cockroaches egg laying

sperm is transferred via spermatophore

F lays a double rows of eggs enclosed by ootheca

some species are oviparous, ovoviparous, or viviparous

ootheca def

thickened protective egg case

oviparous def

stick their egg case into the ground and either cover them or carry them around as projection from abdomen

ovoviparous def

carry the egg case externally until a specific temp is reached then pull egg case back inside the body and brooded until eggs hatch and give live birth

eggs do not receive nutrients from the mother while inside

viviparous def

production of eggs brooded within mother and do receive nutrients from mother

maternal care varies amound cockroach species

some F guard nymphs under tegmina until sclerotization

F of Thorax porcellena protect nymphs by tucking them under the tegmina and squeezing body until nutrient liquid secretes

pill cockroach parental care

M look like typical roach but F look like pillbug

nymphs are blind and deaf and rely on mother for survival

nymphs insert head into hole near legs to feed

F will roll into ball to protect nymphs for predators

Cryptocercus cockroach genus family groups

M and F and nymphs will live in tunnels together until fully developed

eat wood by having symbiotic relationship with protozoans that have to be re-uptaken after every molt

Macrotermes termites of African savannah

create large mounds that structurally allow for air flow that acts like built in AC and works to maintain gas levels within brooding chambers - cultivate fungi for food

Amitermes termites of Australia

build mounds in wedges to limit amount exposed to sun and keep the home cool

termite percentage of consumption of dead fauna biomass and soil fauna in Amazon

80% dead fauna biomass and 10% soil fauna

termites worldwide responsibility amount of consumption of dead flora

1/3

biomass of termites is extremely large

equal more than the total of a herd of African grazing mammals

termite caste system rolls

primary reproductives

supplementary reproductives

soldiers

workers

soldiers characteristics

defend the colony

large elongated mandibles

blind

sterile

kill using mandibles or secretions

workers characteristics

most numerous in a colony

resemble nymphs and are very pale

blind and sterile

simple chewing mouthparts

four subfamilies of family Termitidae - 70% of all termites

Termitinae

Nastutiteritinae

Macrotermitinae

Apicotermitinae

Termitinae subfamily

commonly found in the US

subterranean

Nastutiterminitinae subfamily

snouted termites

have snout like projection and will eject chemicals at enemies

Macrotermitinae subfamily

construct their colony out of mud and fungus gardens using feces

cultivation allows them to live in dry seasons of Asia and Africa

Apicoterminitae subfamily

soldierless termites that ferment digested plant material using bacteria in the gut

kill predators by making their own bodies explode

lower termites have the ability to be flexible in development pathways

can produce molt to the next stage or molt to and earlier caste stage

instar stages can be skipped or added