Gromphadorrhina ID

S

Shipi

Third Instar
Dear Roachkeepers,

Approximately 2 years ago me and my brother bought some Madagascarian hissing roaches as Gromphadorrhina portentosa. I was newbie in the hobby then, so I thought we have G. portentosa. I brought an adult pair with me to the college as pets and months later the female give birth some nymphs. Today they are big, some of them are sub or semi. While they were growing I renamed them to G. oblongonota, after it back to G. portentosa - but I was hesitating about they can be P. vanwaerebecki - and now I think they are G. portentosa 'Black', about the black nymphs.

When I woke up today and checking the animals in my T room I'm infirm again. Some nymphs are more brown then the others - the others usually are nearly full black - and I now I don't know what are they. I made some pictures what you can find in the link below. I hope you can help me to ID them.

http://imageshack.us/g/10/dsc00062hf.jpg/

Thanks for any help!

Zoltan

P.s.: Sorry about my English if you find some mistakes in my grammar.

 
Hi Zoltan,

They do look a little dark for more common G. portentosa but they're not black and they don't have features that would suggest they'd be any of the other "species".

 
Well I would go with Orin, as he is an expert in the field, but that last photo sure looks like a P.Van! I have G.Ports that are pure black also. It does get a big confusing at times! :blink:

 
Those look a lot like my P. vanwaerebeki "normal." Your male has a notch in his pronotum too.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Zephyr said:
Those look a lot like my P. vanwaerebeki "normal." Your male has a notch in his pronotum too.
Click to expand...
I don't see a notch in those photos but if there's a notch they could very well be part of the imaginary genus "Princisia".

 
Here's what I'm seeing:

14kxvdt.png


The consistency of coloration across numerous adults might also be indicative but as I understand it these are various photos of a single pair.

Though, I do agree wholeheartedly that the entire genus "Princisia" is rubbish and that it should be included in Gromphadorhina. :P

 
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Ohh God... Thanks guys! This whole Princisia and Gromphadorrhina portentosa thing is sooo confusing. I heard that the G. portentosa males can has that notch on the pronotum, but the P. vanwaerebecki always has that. What is the truth about Princisia genus? Is it real or just an I'm-not-sure-about-it genus?

Btw, I have only 1 adult pair at the moment, so if the nymphs will grown up I take more photos and post it here for more information. The reason why I asked this is the various shoulder and edge coloration of the nymphs. Maybe they are hybrids, but I hope not.

And my last question - or not :D : G. portentosa 'Black' is real species? Because if it's not I must rename them again and tell some people I don't have 'Black'.

 
Shipi said:
Ohh God... Thanks guys! This whole Princisia and Gromphadorrhina portentosa thing is sooo confusing. I heard that the G. portentosa males can has that notch on the pronotum, but the P. vanwaerebecki always has that. What is the truth about Princisia genus? Is it real or just an I'm-not-sure-about-it genus?

Btw, I have only 1 adult pair at the moment, so if the nymphs will grown up I take more photos and post it here for more information. The reason why I asked this is the various shoulder and edge coloration of the nymphs. Maybe they are hybrids, but I hope not.

And my last question - or not :D : G. portentosa 'Black' is real species? Because if it's not I must rename them again and tell some people I don't have 'Black'.
Click to expand...
G. portentosa "Black" is a color morph that has also been found in wild populations.

 
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