Zephyr Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 I keep thinking this colony of supposed G. portentosa I have are hybrids; this large male has shifted me more into thinking this. The coloration resembles that of adult oblongonata, especially the 4 spots around where the elytra would be. Any thoughts? The 1.2 adults I have look similar to normal portentosa but the male is larger than "normal" hissers; The male is the only roach who could have bred to the two females because I had them in a locked-down, inescapable container. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allpet Roaches Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 G. oblongonota has a differently shaped pronotum. Your specimen has a portentosa pronotum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted May 30, 2010 Author Share Posted May 30, 2010 Thanks Orin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt K Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Thanks Orin. The color alone looks like G. portentosa to me. At least my portentosa have always been roughly that color- also looks like a just-after-molt color. G.oblongata are normally dark brick red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Mabye he is just a different color, and a beauty at that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas Rousseaux Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 analysis of the genitalia is the best way to be sure you have no hybrids with this genus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allpet Roaches Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 analysis of the genitalia is the best way to be sure you have no hybrids with this genus Apparently you are unaware that males of this genus all have indistinguishable genitalia which is why they hybridize readily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas Rousseaux Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Apparently you are unaware that males of this genus all have indistinguishable genitalia which is why they hybridize readily. Genitalia are compatible, not the same. I'll ask a friend to send me the references of the books he use to identify roaches from this genus, you can check in it, the diferences are little, but present. edit: here are the books: • Herrewege C. van, 1973a – Contribution à l'étude des Blattaria de la faune malgache : I. Princisia, gen. nov., voisin de Gromphadorhina Brunner v. W., description d'une espèce nouvelle – Bulletin de la Société Linnéenne de Lyon. • Herrewege C. van, 1973b - Contribution à l'étude des Blattaria de la faune malgache : II. Description de huit espèces nouvelles appartenant aux genres Gromphadorhina Brunner v. W. et Elliptorhina gen. nov. – Bulletin de la Société Linnéenne de Lyon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allpet Roaches Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Genitalia are compatible, not the same. I've dissected G. oblongonota and G. portentosa and the genitalia are indistinguishable. Herrewege's differences so far have proven imaginary and that is the same author who created the invalid genus Princisia which again has the same male genitalia as G. portentosa and crosses readily. There might be some valid Gromphadorhina species that can be sexed in this way but the species available as live specimens are not among them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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