Genetic deformities

[BugmanPrice]

Has anybody seen this on a roach, or anything else for that matter, in a wild specimen or just captively raised?

 

[Allpet Roaches]

I've seen the same type of segment deformity on a red and black roach and even on millipedes. Here it is on a tiger hisser.

Here's a millipede with the same type of segment deformation.

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[Ralph]

That's one of those fire millipedes, isn't it? One of my hisser babies had something like that, only much less noticeable. He died from that humidity problem I had, but it was still kinda neat. Also, one nymph molted 2 days ago and then hurt his leg. He's still that yellow color though, and he doesn't seem to be darkening. Why?

 

[Allpet Roaches]

Actually that's a Vietnamese rainbow millipede formerly known as Aulacobolus rubropunctatus but changed to Tonkinbolus - possibly- dollfusi and we'll see if there are any more revisions. The fire millipede from Madagascar is much nicer looking and bigger.

Sickly animals sometimes have problems with the exoskeleton not hardening correctly.

 

[Allpet Roaches]

It's not a perfect photo but I found a photo with the same deformity for Opisthoplatia:

/monthly_04_2008/post-3-1207823719_thumb.jpg

 

[Ralph]

He died as expected (but another molted to l4!). Thanks for the photo, Orin. Genetic deformities can make some pretty wierd stuff.

 

[Nhewyt]

OK, so it seems it was determined that the segment deformity occurs in many roach species and, since several of the photos were of adults, it apparently does not stop them from maturing.

I agree that such a roach should be culled or kept as a pet only but... my question is this - has anyone ever tried breeding such a roach under controlled conditions, to see if this type of deformity is a dominant trait or just a random mutation?

I would also be interesting in finding an answer to the question posed by BugManPrice - does this only occur in captivity or has it been seen in the wild? I think that answer would help us to better understand if it is ACTUALLY a genetic level defect, or if it is a dietary/environmental issue...

 

[Zephyr]

Subadult male B. colloseus with "jigsaw" deformity.

 

[Keith]

Has anybody seen this on a roach, or anything else for that matter, in a wild specimen or just captively raised?

Good question I've wondered the same thing, but I've never seen a wild tropical species to know.