Mimic species....

[Matttoadman]

I have become very interested in the various mimic species of cockroaches. I believe I am going to have to begin a collection of mimic species. Am I forgetting any available species?

Red-head ( O. Deusta)

Fire fly mimic (S. lampyridiformis)

Pacific beetle mimic (D. punctata)

Therea sps.

Ergaula sps.

Paranauphoeta discoidalis

Rhabdoblatta formosana (leaf mimic in my opinion.)

 

[Sleepy Lemur]

I think it's amazing the discoidalis mimic assassin bugs so well. Crazy how evolution works haha. I think the various "mimics" are some of the coolest roaches in the hobby.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

If you're including leaf mimics don't forget Archimandrita tesselata. Looks like a fallen leaf, and it's as big as one too.

 

[Fingerlakefeeders]

Agreed. The Peppered Roach belongs on that list.

 

[happy1892]

How about Green banana roach? They look kind of like a living leaf?

 

[Matttoadman]

Very cool additions. Do any of the leaf mimics freeze when bothered, perhaps perpetuating the mimicry? Sleepy Lemur, not to derail my own topic into another forum list, but I think the opposite. Mimicry falls in the line of intelligent design. However that is a topic for another forum. Lol

 

[thesavageprojects]

There is always intelligent designed evolution. What are red-heads mimicking? Awesome sp. Btw.

 

[Matttoadman]

According to Kyle, a fly. Although they look more like blister beetles to me.

 

[Hisserdude]

Huh, I thought they were blister beetle mimics too.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

I think he means this fly:

http://thesmallermajority.com/2015/03/12/mozambique-diary-red-headed-flies/

Although the photographer who writes that blog has a theory that the flies themselves mimic blister beetles. Maybe it's mullerian mimicry?

 

[Cariblatta lutea]

How about Green banana roach? They look kind of like a living leaf?

I second this. In my area I sometimes see P. nivea adults flying through the forest and hide under green leaves (ones on the living plant, not on the ground), which makes them hard to spot. Interestingly I usually see adults inside rotting logs (usually with bess beetles).

Also, Blaberus could be mimicking dead leaves. When I was collecting them in FL I had slightly hard time spotting them under magnolia trees because adults blended in really well with the magnolia leaves on the ground, and young nymphs blended in quite well with the ground.

 

[Hisserdude]

I second this. In my area I sometimes see P. nivea adults flying through the forest and hide under green leaves (ones on the living plant, not on the ground), which makes them hard to spot. Interestingly I usually see adults inside rotting logs (usually with bess beetles).

You are so lucky to have such a vibrant colored cockroach species in your area! Very cool about them mimicking leaves, I would have never guessed!

 

[Matttoadman]

Man that is the scariest looking fly. Dang!