Question About Smallest Roach Specie?

makoygaara

makoygaara

Fifth Instar
Guys, I would like to ask if anyone knows what is the smallest roach specie in the world?

I can't search one when I Google for the smallest roach specie.

I have found one yesterday at a mountain spring resort here in the Philippines.

It was hidding inside a pine cone.

It was about 2 cm. in size and I was amazed that it was a mature adult because it has an ootheca attached to her.

She has cream colored wings and a protonum pattern similar to a Firefly roach.

I think it was trying to lay an egg or it was doing the process just like a Dubia.

I don't know if it is an egg laying or live bearing roach specie.

It is quite similar to a Firefly roach.

I tried to take back home the roach but sadly it got away.

It glided and ran very fast.

I didn't even take a photo of it because I have no high end camera that can zoom in.

Hopefully I can find one again when we go back to the resort.

Can anyone please help me identify it? Thanks!

 
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The smallest roaches I know of are Attaphila fungicola which are about 2.5mm at maturity and live with ants.

 
The smallest known cockroach is (Attaphila fungicola), a wingless species having a total length of 3mm. These guys are inquilinistic in Leaf-cutter Ant(Atta)nests in the southern US where they feed upon the fungi cultured by the ants. A photo of the cockroach that you found would be very helpful.

 
Just thought I'd put this here... A picture I found of the ant roach.

(From http://entomology.lsu.edu/faculty/hooper_files/hooper.htm)

AttaWithAttaphila.jpg


Now if only we could get these in culture... :P

 
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Thanks for the reply guys.

The one I saw had wings.

Oh man how I wish I got a photo of it or better captured one to post here for proper identification.

She had an ootheca and there's a chance the babies could have hatched. :angry:

I'll make sure that I'll get one or some of them next time.

 
So has anybody tried to culture these guys. Native to Texas. Just look for a leafcutter colony. Anyone willing to go hunting? If you do find a leafcutter colony you could also wait for the flight, the roaches will ride ants to start new colonies. Digging a leadcutter colony could take weeks they have enormous multi chambered colonies. The roaches possibly feed on fungi but some research claims the roaches may feed by cleaning the ants. Anyway I want some!! :)

 
So has anybody tried to culture these guys. Native to Texas. Just look for a leafcutter colony. Anyone willing to go hunting? If you do find a leafcutter colony you could also wait for the flight, the roaches will ride ants to start new colonies. Digging a leadcutter colony could take weeks they have enormous multi chambered colonies. The roaches possibly feed on fungi but some research claims the roaches may feed by cleaning the ants. Anyway I want some!! :)

 
Good luck searching makoygaara. Maybe you can ask someone who's local there they can catch one for you, I know there is always someone will be happy to do it for you if you can buy them lunch or dinner. :lol: I hope I can go home next year, planning on bringin' lots of plastic container :D . Sounds like you're in Laguna or maybe Baguio?, I've been to Splash mountain were there are lush forest nearby. I have a friend in Munoz, Nueva Ecija who's a Professor I believe he studied zoology & ecology but I don't think he's into entomology in fact never heard someone who's a entomologist, you know how it is, Philippine government don't fund or maybe there's a thought but don't have enough funds cause most politicians are corrupt. :angry:

 
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Almost forgot be careful hunting Makoygaara, there are poisonous snakes out there specially Philippine cobra "Ulupong". :o and Yes that's why I don't like snakes.

 
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Unfortunatelly or afortunatelly I have a dwarf species of roach Im pretty shure that is no the same species heres the pic nottice the almost adult one with partial wings
DSC04228.jpg


Correction those are the wings!

 
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g_leo said:
Unfortunatelly or afortunatelly I have a dwarf species of roach Im pretty shure that is no the same species heres the pic nottice the almost adult one with partial wings
DSC04228.jpg
Click to expand...
Where did you find these guys, and have you bred them?

 
Zephyr said:
Where did you find these guys, and have you bred them?
Click to expand...
Hi they were given to me by a mantid"breeder" that claimed to had founded them on natural leaf compost that is produced near the place where I live( south of mexico city) and yes, they are mostly borrowers and breed a lot and they are not good climbers.

Got any idea about the genus ?

 
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They look like a troglodyte I saw in Nalepa and Roth's book, can't remember the genus now though!

 
you mean Myrmecoblatta I guess but looks a bit different since I dont have acces to labs from university anyomre it will be hard to tell

 
g_leo said:
Unfortunatelly or afortunatelly I have a dwarf species of roach Im pretty shure that is no the same species heres the pic nottice the almost adult one with partial wings
DSC04228.jpg


Correction those are the wings!
Click to expand...
Those are awesome! I think your the only one with them in captivity! :o ;)

 
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