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Comparison of Blaberus species


Zephyr

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All of these are adult females. Coloration can be very variable (especially in the atropos group) but is fairly consistent otherwise.

First up, the giganteus group:

oringiganteusucrsmall.jpg

Possible giganteus group:

fuscaperuvianussmall.jpg

Atropos group:

atropossmall.jpg

boliviensissmall.jpg

discoidalissmall.jpg

spfloridasmall.jpg

parabolicussmall.jpg

And last but not least, the lonely brasilianus group:

colosseusperugiantsmall.jpg

To the extent of my knowledge there are 3 species (and one strain; colosseus "Ecuador") in culture that this list is missing; matogrossensis, sp. "Venezuela", and anisitsi.

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Nice compilation Kyle, does the Blaberus atropos have black-wings like Blaberus craniifer? I know it would be impossible with live specimens but if you can save up dead adult females or males of each species and do a size comparison photo I think it would be incredibly helpful. Also, I think it would be the first time anyone had every created such a image/chart. :)

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Nice compilation Kyle, does the Blaberus atropos have black-wings like Blaberus craniifer? I know it would be impossible with live specimens but if you can save up dead adult females or males of each species and do a size comparison photo I think it would be incredibly helpful. Also, I think it would be the first time anyone had every created such a image/chart. :)

The Blaberus atropos are highly variable and you can have some females that look exactly like B. discoidalis and others than look like nothing else. The same is true with the Blaberus sp. "Florida", which is why I'm inclined to think that they are atropos as well.

One day I'd like to compile a poster with representatives of all the major roach families and subfamilies; just a matter of finding the right website/program to do it in.

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The Blaberus atropos are highly variable and you can have some females that look exactly like B. discoidalis and others than look like nothing else. The same is true with the Blaberus sp. "Florida", which is why I'm inclined to think that they are atropos as well.

One day I'd like to compile a poster with representatives of all the major roach families and subfamilies; just a matter of finding the right website/program to do it in.

I'm trained in graphic arts and have adobe Photoshop CS4. If you can provide clear high resolution images and a tree that lists their order of placement I would be happy to do it. This website as a whole should have enough imagery for me to make a digital version that can be downloaded and altered when needed. We could even try and set up a print on demand with a poster printing company honestly.

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This is really useful Zephyr! However I'm just wondering: Why are colosseus, anisiti, etc. in the "brazilianus" group with no species called "brazilianus"?

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This is really useful Zephyr! However I'm just wondering: Why are colosseus, anisiti, etc. in the "brazilianus" group with no species called "brazilianus"?

I believe Roth made a typo in one of his papers, misspelling "brasilianus" as "brazilianus." There is (apparently) a species called B. brasilianus, and it is hypothesized that B. sp. "Venezuela" is in fact B. brasilianus.

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  • 1 year later...

So, given these different groupings, would it be ok to keep colloseus with my giganteus?

They won't hybridize, but you will never be able to tell nymphs apart, which becomes a very large problem if you ever want to trade/ sell any. I've learned that the hard way with giganteus and A. tessalata.

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nice pictures!

But... isn't Blaberus atropos the new taxa to talk aout Blabera fusca? I tought they were the same specie...

Dr. Louis Roth maintained B. atropos at species level. The nomen nudum "B. fusca" refers to a roach that is probably in the giganteus group though recent molecular studies may prove otherwise.

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http://psyche.entclub.org/pdf/76/76-217.pdf

B. atropos is a small species similar to B. discoidalis, B. boliviensis, and B. parabolicus. B. fusca, as it is used in the US, is a nomen nudum used to describe a species of Blaberus that is unique from the black-winged Blaberus craniifer but incorrectly claimed to be the same as both "have hairs on the wings." (B. giganteus also posseses elytral setae but you never see the argument used there.)

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