Morphology of Cockroach (Periplaneta americana)

Fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering key anatomical features of the common cockroach, Periplaneta americana.

The common cockroach species discussed is __, with adults measuring about 34–53 mm in length.

Periplaneta americana

In male cockroaches, the wings extend __ the tip of the abdomen.

beyond

The cockroach body is divided into three regions: __, thorax, and abdomen.

head

Hard plates of the exoskeleton on the dorsal side are called __.

tergites

The ventral hardened plates of each segment are known as __.

sternites

Dorsal and ventral sclerites are joined by a thin flexible __ membrane.

articular

The cockroach head is formed by fusion of __ segments.

six

A pair of compound __ is present on the head capsule.

eyes

Thread-like __ arise from sockets in front of the eyes and bear sensory receptors.

antennae

The upper lip of the cockroach mouthparts is the __.

labrum

The pair of hard, biting jaw-like structures are the __.

mandibles

The lower lip of the mouthparts is the __.

labium

The tongue-like median lobe inside the mouth cavity is called the __.

hypopharynx

The three thoracic segments are prothorax, __, and metathorax.

mesothorax

The neck is actually a short extension of the __.

prothorax

Each thoracic segment bears a pair of __ legs.

walking

Forewings (tegmina) arise from the __ and are leathery and opaque.

mesothorax

Transparent membranous hind wings arise from the __ and are used in flight.

metathorax

The abdomen of both sexes consists of __ segments.

ten

In females, the 7th, 8th, and 9th sterna together form the __ pouch.

brood (or genital)

Male cockroaches possess a pair of short, thread-like __ styles absent in females.

anal

The jointed filamentous structures on the 10th segment of both sexes are called __.

anal cerci