Blaberidae


Giant cockroaches, or blaberids, are the second-largest cockroach family by number of species. Mostly distributed in warmer climates worldwide, this family is based on the American genus Blaberus, but much of the diversity is also found in Africa and Asia.

Description

They are the only ovoviviparous cockroach family. The ootheca is seen very briefly before being retracted into the body, where soon after the young nymphs hatch inside, the female gives live birth. The cerci are smaller compared to other families, and most of the time are covered by wings. They're mostly found in caves, rotting logs or buried under leaf litter. Many are often kept as pets or as feeder insects, such as Blaberus, Gromphadorhina or Macropanesthia.

Notable species

Notable species within this family include:
The Cockroach Species File lists over 1260 species within 170 valid genera and 14 subfamilies.

Blaberinae

Auth.: Saussure, 1864; distribution: Americas
  1. Archimandrita Saussure, 1893
  2. Aspiduchus Rehn & Hebard, 1927
  3. Bionoblatta Rehn, 1940
  4. Blaberus Serville, 1831
  5. Blaptica Stål, 1874
  6. Byrsotria Stål, 1874
  7. Eublaberus Hebard, 1920
  8. Hemiblabera Saussure, 1893
  9. Hiereoblatta Rehn, 1937
  10. Hormetica Burmeister, 1838
  11. Hyporhicnoda Hebard, 1920
  12. Lucihormetica Zompro & Fritzsche, 1999
  13. Minablatta Rehn, 1940
  14. Monachoda Burmeister, 1838
  15. Monastria Saussure, 1864
  16. Neorhicnoda Grandcolas, 1992
  17. Oxycercus Bolívar, 1881
  18. Paradicta Grandcolas, 1992
  19. Parahormetica Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  20. Petasodes Saussure, 1864
  21. Phoetalia Stål, 1874
  22. Quadrihormetica Vidlicka, 2019
  23. Sibylloblatta Rehn, 1937
  24. Styphon Rehn, 1930
;Calolamprodinae Wang & Wang, 2023
  1. Calolamprodes Bey-Bienko, 1969
;Diplopterinae
Distribution: SE Asia, Australia, N. America
  1. Diploptera Saussure, 1864

    Epilamprinae

Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865; distribution: Americas, Africa, SE Asia, Australia
  1. Africalolampra Roth, 1995
  2. Alphelixia Roth, 1973
  3. Anisolampra Bey-Bienko, 1969
  4. Antioquita Hebard, 1933
  5. Aptera Saussure, 1864
  6. Apsidopis Saussure, 1895
  7. Ataxigamia Tepper, 1893
  8. Audreia Shelford, 1910
  9. Blepharodera Burmeister, 1838
  10. Brephallus Wang, Zhao, Li, Che & Wang, 2018
  11. Calolampra Saussure, 1893
  12. Capucinella Hebard, 1920
  13. Cariacasia Rehn, 1928
  14. Colapteroblatta Hebard, 1919
  15. Compsolampra Saussure, 1893
  16. Cyrtonotula Uvarov, 1939
  17. Dryadoblatta Rehn, 1930
  18. Decoralampra Lucañas, 2017
  19. Epilampra Burmeister, 1838
  20. Galiblatta Hebard, 1926
  21. Gurneya Roth, 1974
  22. Haanina Hebard, 1929
  23. Homalopteryx Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  24. Howintoniella Roth, 1981
  25. Indoapterolampra Anisyutkin, 2014
  26. Juxtacalolampra Roth, 1981
  27. Litopeltis Hebard, 1920
  28. Miroblatta Shelford, 1906
  29. Molytria Stål, 1874
  30. Morphna Shelford, 1910
  31. Notolampra Saussure, 1862
  32. Opisthoplatia Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  33. Orchidoeca Gurney & Roth, 1976
  34. Paracalolamprodes Anisyutkin, 2015
  35. Phlebonotus Saussure, 1862
  36. Phoraspis Serville, 1831
  37. Pinaconota Saussure, 1895
  38. Placoblatta Bey-Bienko, 1969
  39. Poeciloderrhis Stål, 1874
  40. Princisola Gurney & Roth, 1976
  41. Pseudophoraspis Kirby, 1903
  42. Rhabdoblatta Kirby, 1903
  43. Rhicnoda Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
  44. Stictolampra Hanitsch, 1930
  45. Thorax Saussure, 1862
  46. Ylangella Roth, 2002

    Geoscapheinae

Distribution: Malesia, Australasia
  1. Geoscapheus Tepper, 1893
  2. Macropanesthia Saussure, 1895
  3. Neogeoscapheus Roth, 1977
  4. Parapanesthia Roth, 1977

    Gyninae

Distribution: Africa
  1. Alloblatta Grandcolas, 1993
  2. Gyna Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  3. Paraprincisaria Grandcolas, 1993
  4. Princisaria Kumar, 1975
  5. Pseudocalolampra Roth & Princis, 1971

    Oxyhaloinae

Distribution: Africa – 3 tribes:
  1. Aeluropoda Butler, 1882
  2. Ateloblatta Saussure, 1891
  3. Elliptorhina van Herrewege, 1973
  4. Gromphadorhina Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  5. Leozehntnera van Herrewege, 1975
  6. Princisia van Herrewege, 1973
  • Nauphoetini
  1. Griffiniella Karny, 1908
  2. Henschoutedenia Princis, 1954
  3. Jagrehnia Princis, 1954
  4. Nauphoeta Burmeister, 1838
  5. Rhyparobia Krauss, 1892
  6. Simandoa Roth & Naskrecki, 2004
  • Oxyhaloini
  1. Oxyhaloa Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  1. Brachynauphoeta van Herrewege, 1975
  2. Coleoblatta Hanitsch, 1950
  3. Heminauphoeta Saussure, 1891
  4. Pronauphoeta Shelford, 1909

    Panchlorinae

Distribution: Americas, Africa
  1. Achroblatta Saussure, 1893
  2. Anchoblatta Shelford, 1909
  3. Biolleya Saussure, 1897
  4. Panchlora Burmeister, 1838
  5. Pelloblatta Rehn, 1903

    [Panesthiinae]

Distribution: Madagascar, India, China, SE Asia through to Australia
  1. Ancaudellia Shaw, 1925
  2. Annamoblatta Sergeev, 1984 - monotypic Annamoblatta vietnamica Sergeev
  3. Caeparia Stål, 1877
  4. Microdina Kirby, 1903
  5. Miopanesthia Saussure, 1895
  6. Panesthia Serville, 1831
  7. Salganea Stål, 1877
;Paranauphoetinae Rehn, 1951
  1. Paranauphoeta Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865

    Perisphaerinae

Auth.: Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865; distribution: Africa, SE Asia, Australia
  1. Bantua Shelford, 1908
  2. Compsagis Chopard, 1952
  3. Corydidarum Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  4. Cyrtotria Stål, 1871
  5. Derocalymma Burmeister, 1838
  6. Ellipsica Saussure & Zehntner, 1895
  7. Elliptoblatta Saussure, 1891
  8. Gymnonyx Saussure & Zehntner, 1895
  9. Hostilia Stål, 1871
  10. Hyposphaeria Lucas, 1863
  11. Laxta Walker, 1868
  12. Neolaxta Mackerras, 1968
  13. Perisphaerus Serville, 1831
  14. Pilema Saussure, 1873
  15. Platysilpha Shelford, 1908
  16. Poeciloblatta Saussure & Zehntner, 1895
  17. Pseudoglomeris Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
  18. Zuluia Rehn, 1922

    Pycnoscelinae

Distribution: SE Asia & S. America
  1. Proscratea Burmeister, 1838 - S. America
  2. Pycnoscelus Scudder, 1862
  3. Stilpnoblatta Saussure & Zehntner, 1895
;Rhabdoblattellinae Wang & Wang, 2023
  1. Rhabdoblattella Anisyutkin, 1999

    Zetoborinae

Distribution: Central & S. America
  1. Alvarengaia Rocha e Silva & Aguiar, 1977
  2. Capucina Saussure, 1893
  3. Lanxoblatta Hebard, 1931
  4. Parasphaeria Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865
  5. Phortioeca Saussure, 1862
  6. Phortioecoides Rehn, 1937
  7. Schistopeltis Rehn, 1916
  8. Schizopilia Saussure, 1864
  9. Schultesia Roth, 1973
  10. Thanatophyllum Grandcolas, 1991
  11. Tribonium Saussure, 1862
  12. Tribonoidea Shelford, 1908
  13. Zetobora Burmeister, 1838
  14. Zetoborella Hebard, 1921

    Genera Incertae sedis

  15. Apotrogia Kirby, 1900
  16. Cacoblatta Saussure, 1893
  17. Derocardia Saussure, 1895
  18. Diplopterina Princis, 1963
  19. Elfridaia Shaw, 1925
  20. Eustegasta Gerstaecker, 1883
  21. Evea Shelford, 1909
  22. Glyptopeltis Saussure, 1873
  23. Gynopeltis Gerstaecker, 1869
  24. Hedaia Saussure & Zehntner, 1895
  25. Isoniscus Borg, 1902
  26. Kemneria Princis, 1946
  27. Mesoblaberus Princis, 1951
  28. Mioblatta Saussure & Zehntner, 1895
  29. Paraplecta Shelford, 1907
  30. Phenacisma Karsch, 1896
  31. Progonogamia Rehn, 1922
  32. Pseudogyna Shelford, 1909
  33. Pseudoplatia Hanitsch, 1930
  34. Stictomorphna Bruijning, 1948
  35. Thliptoblatta Saussure & Zehntner, 1895
  36. Thoracopygia Saussure & Zehntner, 1895

    Taxonomy note

Among the genera of uncertain subfamily, Eustegasta, Isoniscus and Poeciloderrhis have been removed from subfamily Perisphaerinae.