help with hybrid concerns

[lovebugfarm]

So I got 7 roaches from a guy locally and they are sold as pepper roaches the pattern on the pronotum looks right and the size is right but they have no pepper pattern really except a little at the base of the wing. So the wings are a near solid brown. I took some pics I hope they attach well and will be taking better ones tomorrow.

My 1st group of questions are:

Is there another species peppered roaches could hybridize with?

Is it possible this is a kind of morph?

Could diet pay a role in adult wing pattern? (He said he didn't feed them often)

Should I keep these separate from future peppered roaches I add to my collection?

Then there's a person locally selling what they are calling death heads that look identical to peppered roaches. Along with the classic peppered wings the gold on the pronotum completely encircles the black pattern. I'm stumped on what to do about it.

My 2nd group of questions are:

Is there a death head hybrid that could look like a pepper roach?

Should I be concerned about adding them to my patternless peppers?

I know keeping them as just pets it shouldn't matter but when I get to many of them I want to be able to sell or give them away with 100% the right name so they get the right care.

Thanks so much in advance for any help. The helpful nature of this forum is awesome I'm glad to be a part of it.

[happy1892]

Hi. With roaches in general (and other animals) that is expected to have some variation in markings and colors like that in your colony (maybe rarer for some species than others). Maybe the humidity was a factor in making your peppered roach darker colored. So I would not jump to any conclusions that they are hybrids just because of that difference in coloration. There is only one of species of Archimandrita:

http://cockroach.spe...nNameID=1174139

About Death head roaches that look similar to Archimandrita, I don't think so... I think then that person has misidentified his roaches as Death heads when they are actually Archimandrita.

And yes, definitely keep them separate from other breeding lines or stock if you get any more, but that's me. I like to keep things pure. There are problems that can arise from too much inbreeding, though I think after some time of breeding your roaches into large colonies successfully then you will get more genetic variation as time passes.

https://en.wikipedia...tion_bottleneck

[lovebugfarm]

Thanks for the conformation its a sigh of relief knowing they should both be 100% peppered's. I was originally thinking I should mix them to give them better genetic diversity. I might be able to trace the linage of one of the groups but im sure i wont have much luck with the person who thinks they have deathheads. Either way this is all great news im glad to know there is only one species of Archimandrita.

[happy1892]

There are two species of Archimandrita. And I would not say they are certainly not hybrids unless you confirmed it.

[happy1892]

There is only one of species of Archimandrita:

http://cockroach.spe...nNameID=1174139

I don't know why I wrote that. I meant there is another species of Archimandrita.

[lovebugfarm]

Ok I was a bit concerned then i scrolled down and all was right in the world again.