La panerola rinoceront (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) és una espècie de blatodeu de la família Blaberidae. Són insectes propis d'Austràlia.
Es troben principalment en les zones tropicals de Queensland. A algunes persones els agrada usar-les com mascotes, ja que són fàcils de cuidar, malgrat que són difícils d'aconseguir fora d'Austràlia. Són l'espècie de panerola més pesada del món, però no major longitud (que és Blaberus giganteus), amb un pes de fins a 35 g i una longitud de fins a 80 mm.[1][2] Poden viure fins a 10 anys. A diferència d'altres paneroles, no tenen ales i no són considerades una plaga. Juga un paper vital en l'ecosistema mastegant fulles mortes i reciclant altres materials. Poden cavar en la terra fins a una profunditat d'1 m, on creen una llar permanent. L'espècie és ovovivípara.
La panerola rinoceront (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) és una espècie de blatodeu de la família Blaberidae. Són insectes propis d'Austràlia.
Es troben principalment en les zones tropicals de Queensland. A algunes persones els agrada usar-les com mascotes, ja que són fàcils de cuidar, malgrat que són difícils d'aconseguir fora d'Austràlia. Són l'espècie de panerola més pesada del món, però no major longitud (que és Blaberus giganteus), amb un pes de fins a 35 g i una longitud de fins a 80 mm. Poden viure fins a 10 anys. A diferència d'altres paneroles, no tenen ales i no són considerades una plaga. Juga un paper vital en l'ecosistema mastegant fulles mortes i reciclant altres materials. Poden cavar en la terra fins a una profunditat d'1 m, on creen una llar permanent. L'espècie és ovovivípara.
The giant burrowing cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) is also known as the rhinoceros cockroach, and Queensland giant cockroach. These cockroaches are native to Australia and mostly found in tropical and subtropical parts of Queensland. They are the world's heaviest species of cockroach and can weigh up to 30-35 grams[1][2] and measure up to 7.5-8 cm (3.1 in) in length.[1] It is a member of the family Blaberidae, which contains hundreds of species. It is part of the blaberid subfamily Geoscapheinae.[3][4] It is prominent in the wild and can also be sold and kept as a pet.
Unlike some other cockroaches, the giant burrowing cockroach does not have wings and is not considered a pest. This species plays a vital part in the ecosystem by consuming dead leaves, eucalyptus in particular, and recycling other matter. They may burrow down in soil to a depth of about 1 m (3 ft 3 in),[1] where they make permanent homes and feed on collected dry leaf litter. The giant burrowing cockroach is the only cockroach in the world known to have permanent burrows in the soil.[5] The species play an important ecological role in that it contributes to the recycling of nutrients in the wild.
The cockroach is popular in Brisbane and is frequently sold as a pet.[6]
The giant burrowing cockroach is identifiable by its large size and weight. An adult can reach over 60 mm[7] and up to 75–80 mm, and can weigh up to 30-35 grams. The pronotum is a prominent plate-like structure that covers the first segment of the thorax, has short tubercles at the sides, and can exceed 15 mm. Their pronotum assists with digging, acting as a shovel[7] while its abdomen rests on the ground.[8] The cockroach use their spiny tibiae in order to dig and burrow into the ground. The giant burrowing cockroach is well adapted for burrowing and digging with large back legs and a strong body armour, which offers protection from predators. It is one of few native Australian cockroaches without wings, with a concurrent lack of mobility.[9] It is nocturnal.[4]
Adult males and females can be differentiated by the size of the "scoop" on the pronotum, which covers the head; with the male having a much more pronounced scoop. They grow by moulting several times before reaching full size. When a cockroach moults, it will appear pure white except for the eyes.[3] Individuals have lifespans up to ten years in captivity. Adult males are more commonly-encountered than females.[10]
As in other hemimetabolous insects, the immature stages of the giant burrowing cockroaches are referred to as nymphs. Nymphs are creamy white when born, but soon develop a reddish brown colour. Both adult females and males are dark brown. Nymphs remain with their mothers for five to seven months, and she provides food and cares for them.[3][5]
The giant burrowing cockroach species are mostly found in Queensland, Australia. It is commonly found along the coastal stretch between Rockhampton and Cooktown. The cockroach can also be located on the islands of the Whitsundays.[3]
The species build burrows that can stretch up to one metre underground,[11] which is where it stores food and lives permanently. Burrow depth appears to change depending on soil type, with burrows ranging from approximately 10 cm underground to 100 cm.[10]
It is prevalent in dry Eucalyptus woodlands in the northeastern territory within Australia. There are 18 known geographical populations of the cockroach along subtropical Queensland.[9] The cockroach has a wide geographical distribution in relation to other burrowing cockroach species.[12][13][14] It is present across a one thousand kilometre range. The cockroach can be found in both dry and wet areas of Australia, including rainforests, woodlands and savannas. Common dry areas it inhabits include Maiden Springs, Boonderoo and Alpha. Common wet areas the cockroach is found in include Cooktown, Magnetic island and the Whitsundays. Locations that are in the mid-range between dry and wet regions where the cockroach is present include Coen, Rochford Scrub and Mount Garnet.[14]
Populations of the cockroach can be geographically isolated due to unsuitable ground soil or by water. The species tends to prefer the drier savanna areas west of the Great Dividing Range.[9]
The most common vegetation where the cockroach is found is Eucalyptus woodland and grass.[10]
The cockroach stays underground as it lives permanently in its burrows. The cockroach often surfaces during wet weather, with most activity coinciding with summer rains. During the dry season it remains in its burrows and feed on collected litter. It feeds mostly on dry, decomposing eucalyptus leaves. The cockroach composts the leaves in the burrow with some bark and dry grass.[4]
Burrows are often composed of grass, tree root and leaves. The entrance to the cockroach burrows resembles a flattened semi-circle. Burrows can be identifiable when the cockroach has been active, yet are often covered by litter or collapsed. The size of the burrow entrance is approximately five centimetres wide and two centimetres high. Burrows often follow a path just below the soil surface for up to one metre, and occasionally descend downwards sharply. The burrows do not follow a pattern. The cockroaches occupy the end of the burrows, which is widened up to one metre wide to contain the collected litter. Other species of insects have been located within the burrows, including scarabs, aleculid beetles, silverfish, larvae of tenebrionids and caesmaking moths, as well as other species of cockroaches.[10]
The cockroach is generally solitary, yet young nymphs remain with mothers for several months after birth. The cockroach is active after sunrise, and may begin to burrow and dig. Males wander outside of burrows more than females do. Males tend to wander in search of a mate, whilst females collect litter to take back into their burrows.[10]
Foraging is common with grown female cockroaches, and the cockroach can wander up to 50 cm from the entrance of the burrow to collect ground litter. It collects mostly dead leaves and use the mandibles to drag the litter back into their burrow.
Fighting is common amongst adult males, yet adult females with nymphs are also highly aggressive. Aggressiveness is associated with its solitary existence.[10] Aggressive behaviour can include butting, barging and hissing which often results in a cockroach being knocked over. Males can fight at the entrances to burrows in order to prevent the other male cockroaches from entering the burrow. Whilst fighting, males use the front of the pronotum to force the intruder away. A hissing sound is produced when the giant burrowing cockroach fights another.
The cockroach can emit a hissing sound during both reproduction and when threatened. The hissing sound is produced by the expulsion of air from the cockroach’s spiracles, which is an external respiratory opening on the abdomen.[15]
Reproductive behaviour between the cockroaches tends to occur at night time, and is based mostly on scent, taste and touch. The male cockroaches attempt to court the females with motions such as hissing, changing posture, motioning with antennas, grooming the female, and pushing the female with their body in an attempt to lift the female. It is unknown if female cockroaches engage in multiple matings and if so, if it occurs with different male cockroaches.[9] Females can annually have up to thirty young at once.[3]
The species is ovoviviparous[4] meaning it has young by means of eggs which hatch internally in the parent. Unlike most insects, which lay eggs, the female Giant burrowing cockroach gives birth to her young, and protects her offspring in her underground alcove, providing them with leaf litter she gathers overnight.[14] The cockroaches can live for up to 10 years.[2] The species is often found with the mothers with the young together within the burrows, whereas the males are mostly absent from the burrows.
The parenting cycle of the giant burrowing cockroach can last up to 6 months, or until nymphs are capable to leave and construct their own burrows and fend for themselves.[4] One brood of approximately thirty nymphs is produced each year, and tends to be in late spring after an incubation period of approximately three months.[10] The cockroaches shed their outer skin approximately fourteen times in their life cycle. This skin is often ingested as it is nutritious.[3]
Young nymphs are rarely found above ground, outside of the burrow.[10] Nymphs grow at the same rate and once the nymphs leave the nest they live alone until it fully develops and becomes an adult.[16]
Depending on the temperature, they perform different patterns of eating, carbon dioxide production,[17] and metabolic rates.[11] Macropanesthia rhinoceros can be diagnosed with obesity when there are no changes in its husbandry. When an individual lacks nutrition, they are susceptible to adopting a "thrifty phenotype", which prioritises fat storage over reproductive development to be able to handle dangerous environment conditions. In optimal environmental conditions, this thrifty phenotype has the potential to become maladaptive, thus causing excessive fat storage and metabolic disease. In the future, this may result in obesity or metabolic disease. Obesity can cause, "an atypical body conformation with narrow, elongated abdominal profiles compared to the wide, flat bodies of neighbouring conspecifics." In addition, this exposes a mushy and pale tissue between their abdominal sclerites.[4]
The cockroach is calm and easy to care for making it a common and popular pet. The species cannot move fast or fly. Its large size, sedentary behavioural lifestyle and limited husbandry needs contribute to the increase in popularity for the species as a pet both in Australia and internationally.[4] They are clean, disease free, odourless, do not bite when handled and do not climb or fly.[3]
Males can be aggressive towards other males meaning that a larger enclosure would be needed to house more than one cockroach at a time to avoid conflict. There should be more females than males in one enclosure as otherwise conflict may ensue between the males over the females.
Enclosures should not be kept in direct sunlight for extended periods of time.
The tank or terrarium should have clean, fine to medium grain river sand, with some being wet and the other end of the enclosure dry. The cockroach requires substrate to be up to 100mm deep, which the cockroach use with leaves and sticks to nest and burrow. The substrate is changed regularly after a few months, taking into account the size of the tank and the number of cockroaches present.[3]
The giant burrowing cockroach has lived to a maximum of eight years in captivity.
Nymphs grow faster when in the wild in comparison to in captivity. Wild nymphs can reach the eighth instar in five months, yet there can be a large variation in growth rates with some nymphs taking up to a year to grow to the ninth instar. It has nine instar stages.[4] Data from laboratories shows that it is a slow growing cockroach with varying growth rates.
The cockroach eats dried eucalyptus leaves and can also eat fruit and vegetables.[3]
The largest threat to the giant burrowing cockroach is habitat destruction. Their main habitat includes forests and land in northern Queensland, which has been cleared intensely from the year 2000.
Large centipedes find shelter in the burrows of the cockroaches and can prey on young nymphs.[10] Large spiders also consume young nymphs. Neither spiders nor most centipedes are able to consume adults due to their outer shell,[16] however fully grown Ethmostigmus rubripes would likely be capable of preying on the adult cockroaches.
The giant burrowing cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) is also known as the rhinoceros cockroach, and Queensland giant cockroach. These cockroaches are native to Australia and mostly found in tropical and subtropical parts of Queensland. They are the world's heaviest species of cockroach and can weigh up to 30-35 grams and measure up to 7.5-8 cm (3.1 in) in length. It is a member of the family Blaberidae, which contains hundreds of species. It is part of the blaberid subfamily Geoscapheinae. It is prominent in the wild and can also be sold and kept as a pet.
Unlike some other cockroaches, the giant burrowing cockroach does not have wings and is not considered a pest. This species plays a vital part in the ecosystem by consuming dead leaves, eucalyptus in particular, and recycling other matter. They may burrow down in soil to a depth of about 1 m (3 ft 3 in), where they make permanent homes and feed on collected dry leaf litter. The giant burrowing cockroach is the only cockroach in the world known to have permanent burrows in the soil. The species play an important ecological role in that it contributes to the recycling of nutrients in the wild.
The cockroach is popular in Brisbane and is frequently sold as a pet.
La cucaracha cavadora gigante o cucaracha rinoceronte (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) es una especie de insecto blatodeo perteneciente a la familia de los blabéridos. Son insectos nativos de Australia y se encuentran principalmente en las zonas tropicales de Queensland. A algunas personas les gusta usarlas como mascotas y las describen como fáciles de cuidar, aunque son algo difíciles de conseguir fuera de Australia[cita requerida]. Son la especie de cucarachas más pesada del mundo (aunque no la de mayor longitud) con un peso de hasta 35 g[1][2] y una longitud de hasta 80 mm.[1] Pueden vivir hasta 10 años.[2] A diferencia de otras cucarachas, no tienen alas y no son consideradas una plaga. Esta cucaracha juega un papel vital en el ecosistema mascando hojas muertas y reciclando otros materiales. Fieles a su nombre, pueden cavar en la tierra hasta una profundidad de alrededor de 1 m,[1] donde crean un hogar permanente. La especie es ovovivípara.
|fechaacceso= y |mesacceso= redundantes (ayuda). (En inglés). 
Datos: Q259566
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Especies: Macropanesthia rhinoceros
La cucaracha cavadora gigante o cucaracha rinoceronte (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) es una especie de insecto blatodeo perteneciente a la familia de los blabéridos. Son insectos nativos de Australia y se encuentran principalmente en las zonas tropicales de Queensland. A algunas personas les gusta usarlas como mascotas y las describen como fáciles de cuidar, aunque son algo difíciles de conseguir fuera de Australia[cita requerida]. Son la especie de cucarachas más pesada del mundo (aunque no la de mayor longitud) con un peso de hasta 35 g y una longitud de hasta 80 mm. Pueden vivir hasta 10 años. A diferencia de otras cucarachas, no tienen alas y no son consideradas una plaga. Esta cucaracha juega un papel vital en el ecosistema mascando hojas muertas y reciclando otros materiales. Fieles a su nombre, pueden cavar en la tierra hasta una profundidad de alrededor de 1 m, donde crean un hogar permanente. La especie es ovovivípara.
La blatte rhinocéros (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) est une espèce d'insecte de l'ordre des Blattodea de la famille des Blaberidae originaire d'Australie, particulièrement des régions tropicales du Queensland. Elle peut peser jusqu'à 35 g[1],[2], ce qui en fait la plus lourde blatte du monde, et mesurer jusqu'à 80 mm[1] (Blaberus giganteus est plus longue, mais plus légère). Elle peut vivre 10 ans[2].
Contrairement à beaucoup d'autres blattes, elle ne possède pas d'aile et n'est pas considérée comme une nuisance. Elle joue un rôle vital dans son écosystème en consommant des feuilles mortes, en particulier d'eucalyptus, et d'autres matières. Elle peut s'enterrer jusqu'à 1 mètre dans le sol[1], où elle a son gîte permanent. Les mâles se distinguent des femelles par leur « bêche » sur la tête, absente chez la femelle.
Macropanesthia rhinoceros atteint sa taille définitive après 12 ou 13 mues. Elle sort de son exuvie entièrement blanche, sauf les yeux. Cette espèce est ovovivipare.
La blatte rhinocéros (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) est une espèce d'insecte de l'ordre des Blattodea de la famille des Blaberidae originaire d'Australie, particulièrement des régions tropicales du Queensland. Elle peut peser jusqu'à 35 g,, ce qui en fait la plus lourde blatte du monde, et mesurer jusqu'à 80 mm (Blaberus giganteus est plus longue, mais plus légère). Elle peut vivre 10 ans.
Contrairement à beaucoup d'autres blattes, elle ne possède pas d'aile et n'est pas considérée comme une nuisance. Elle joue un rôle vital dans son écosystème en consommant des feuilles mortes, en particulier d'eucalyptus, et d'autres matières. Elle peut s'enterrer jusqu'à 1 mètre dans le sol, où elle a son gîte permanent. Les mâles se distinguent des femelles par leur « bêche » sur la tête, absente chez la femelle.
Macropanesthia rhinoceros atteint sa taille définitive après 12 ou 13 mues. Elle sort de son exuvie entièrement blanche, sauf les yeux. Cette espèce est ovovivipare.
La blatta rinoceronte (Macropanesthia rhinoceros Saussure, 1895), anche noto come scarafaggio scavatore gigante, scarafaggio gigante del Queensland o insetto spazzino, è una specie di scarafaggio di grandi dimensioni originario dell'Australia, il cui areale comprende, principalmente, le zone tropicali del Queensland.
Rappresenta la specie di scarafaggio più pesante al mondo e può pesare fino a 35 grammi[1][2] e misurare fino a 8 centimetri di lunghezza.[1] I maschi e le femmine adulte possono essere differenziati per le dimensioni della "paletta" sul pronoto, che copre la testa, che nel maschio è molto più pronunciato. Questi animali fanno la muta circa 12-13 volte prima di raggiungere le loro dimensioni massime. Durante la muta, l'animale apparirà bianco puro ad eccezione degli occhi.
Contrariamente alla maggior parte degli insetti che depongono le uova, la blatta rinoceronte è ovovivipara, ossia partorisce i propri piccoli. Ogni covata può contare fino a 30 ninfe (giovani). La madre protegge la prole nella sua tana sotterranea, fornendo loro nutrimento, come foglie decomposte che raccoglie durante la notte.[3] Queste blatte possono vivere fino a 10 anni.[2] A differenza di altri scarafaggi, non hanno ali e non sono considerati parassiti. Al contrario, la blatta rinoceronte svolge un ruolo vitale nell'ecosistema consumando foglie morte, in particolare le foglie d'eucalipto e riciclando altri materiali. Questi insetti sono ottimi scavatori, e possono scavare nel terreno fino ad una profondità di circa 1 metro,[1] dove creano tane permanenti.
Questo scarafaggio è molto popolare a Brisbane ed è spesso venduto come animale domestico.[4]
La blatta rinoceronte (Macropanesthia rhinoceros Saussure, 1895), anche noto come scarafaggio scavatore gigante, scarafaggio gigante del Queensland o insetto spazzino, è una specie di scarafaggio di grandi dimensioni originario dell'Australia, il cui areale comprende, principalmente, le zone tropicali del Queensland.
Macropanesthia rhinoceros is een ongevleugelde kakkerlak uit de familie Blaberidae. De soort is endemisch in het noordoosten van Australia en komt er voornamelijk voor in de tropische bossen van Queensland.
De soort is met zijn maximaal gewicht van 35 gram de zwaarste kakkerlak ter wereld. Met zijn maximale lengte van 80 millimeter is hij echter kleiner dan het 10 centimeter grote vrouwtje van de reuzengrottenkakkerlak (Blaberus giganteus).
Volwassen mannetjes zijn van vrouwtjes te onderscheiden door een grotere en meer geprononceerde uitstulping op het pronotum (rugschild) boven de kop. De voorpoten bevatten brede, mollachtige klauwen, die de kakkerlak gebruikt om tunnels te graven.
De kakkerlak is een nachtactief dier. In tegenstelling tot veel andere kakkerlakken komt Macropanesthia rhinoceros zelden voor in bebouwde omgevingen. Hij voedt zich voornamelijk met boombast, dode bladeren (met name die van eucalyptusbomen) en ander organisch afval. De kakkerlak speelt zo een belangrijke sleutelrol in het ecosysteem van zijn leefomgeving. In Australië wordt hij ook wel litter bug genoemd, wat vrij vertaald 'afvalkever' betekend.
De Engelse naam giant burrowing cockroach ('grote gravende kakkerlak') dankt de kakkerlak aan zijn gewoonte om tunnels van ongeveer een meter diep te graven, die gebruikt worden als woning en broedplaats. Tijdens het droge seizoen tussen mei en november blijft de kakkerlak in de tunnel, waar hij leeft van voedsel dat hij hier heeft opgeslagen.
Wanneer de kakkerlak verstoord wordt, trekt hij zijn achterlijf samen en stuwt lucht door de tracheeën. Dit veroorzaakt een sissend geluid, die de kakkerlak ook gebruikt tijdens het paren en in conflictsituaties. Rivaliserende mannetjes vechten door op elkaar in te beuken met de schepvormige uitstulping boven hun kop.
Macropanesthia rhinoceros is eierlevendbarendheid en een worp bestaat uit gemiddeld twintig nimfen. Het vrouwtje heeft een speciale broedbuidel in haar lichaam, waar de nimfen in drie maanden tot ontwikkeling komen. Ze verlaten de broedbuidel aan het einde van het droge seizoen en blijven nog vijf maanden in de nesttunnel, waar ze worden gevoed met bladeren en ander afval. Daarna verlaten ze het nest en graven ze een eigen tunnel.
Na drie tot vier jaar is Macropanesthia rhinoceros volwassen. Hij vervelt twaalf of dertien keer voor de uiteindelijke grootte wordt bereikt. Net na de vervelling is hij met uitzondering van de ogen geheel wit. De soort kan een leeftijd bereiken van tien jaar.
Macropanesthia rhinoceros is een ongevleugelde kakkerlak uit de familie Blaberidae. De soort is endemisch in het noordoosten van Australia en komt er voornamelijk voor in de tropische bossen van Queensland.
A Barata-rinoceronte (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) é um dos maiores insetos conhecidos.
A Barata-rinoceronte (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) é um dos maiores insetos conhecidos.
São nativas da Austrália.
犀牛蟑螂（学名：Macropanesthia rhinoceros），又稱為犀牛蜚蠊、澳洲犀牛蟑螂、巨型挖洞蟑螂，原产於澳大利亚，常见於昆士兰热带地区。此物種最長可達8.3厘米，重63克，是紀錄中全球最重的大蟑螂。犀牛蟑螂是卵胎生物种，生长到成体前要脱皮12到13次，每次刚脱皮後除眼睛外通体纯白色，寿命长达10年[1]。犀牛蟑螂并不像其他蟑螂一样长有翅膀，一般不被视为害虫，因为它们以落叶，特别是桉树叶为食，并且重新利用其他物质，在生态系统中扮演着极其重要的角色。就如它们的俗名巨型挖洞蟑螂所描述，它们可以在土壤中挖掘深达1米的洞穴[2]，并将洞穴作为固定居所。雄雌可以通过头顶是否有凹陷来判断，雄性有而雌性无。
有些人喜欢将它们作为宠物饲养，因为它们易于照料。
ヨロイモグラゴキブリ（鎧土竜蜚蠊、英語: Giant burrowing cockroach、学名：Macropanesthia rhinoceros）はゴキブリの一種。
標準和名は本種の外部形態上の特徴に因む。すなわち、「鎧を着てモグラのように土にもぐるゴキブリ」の意として、松本忠夫（東京大学教養学部教授・理学博士/当時）により命名された[1]。
本種は世界で最も体重の重いゴキブリ[2]であり、 体重は最大で35g[3]、体長は最大で80mmに達する。個体によっては約10年に渡り生存するものもいる[3]。他の多くの種のゴキブリと異なり、本種は成虫になっても翅を持たない（写真参照）。
脚はいずれも太く頑強で、土を掘り進むのに適した形状となっている。オスとメスは前胸部の突起状の膨らみにより見分けることが可能である（オスは突起を持ち、メスは突起を持たない。）。 本種が脱皮したすぐの状態では、目の部分を除いて完全な白色をしている。
オーストラリア・クイーンズランド州の熱帯地域に主に棲息する。 モグラの名前に違わず、本種は地中数十㎝～1mほどの深さに潜り、土中に巣を作る。
砂質土壌地帯に、およそ高さ5cm、直径15cmの盛り土がみられ、その下に螺旋状の坑道が穿たれている。坑道の直径は８cm、長さは1mに達し、本種が潜むのは地表から深さ40cmほどの位置。坑道が描く螺旋は大きく、多いものでは３重螺旋になっている。坑道の壁は本種により念入りな手入れがされており、非常に滑らかに仕上げられている。
面積４×８mをサンプルとした生息密度調査の結果、１平方mあたりの生息個体総体重は11gになった。
彼らは食物である落ち葉や枯れ草を巣穴に運び込み貯蔵している。このため、摂食ごとに採餌に出歩くことがなく、新たな貯蔵食物の採集や異性獲得の際以外、巣穴から全く出ない。これは本種が生息地で多数高密度で存在していながら人目に触れることが滅多に無い大きな原因となっている。またその外出も、雨期の夜間に限定されるらしい。
本種は雌雄のつがいが共同で子育てをしながら生活するという亜社会性の生態を持つことで知られる。本種は、主食とする落ち葉（主にユーカリの葉）やその他の植物質の消費者・分解者として、生態系における重要な地位を占める。本種は12～13回脱皮を繰り返すことで成長し、成虫となる。繁殖形態は卵胎生である。
子の世話は初期においては両親が、やがて母のみがおこなう。成長した仔が巣離れする時期には、同じ方向にむかうおびただしい数の「ゴキブリの行進」が起きるという。巣離れは幼虫が中令に達するとおきる。
飛翔能力を全く持たない本種は、地表を歩き回るのみで異性と出会わなければならない。フェロモンの役割が強いと考えられている。
天敵は大型のムカデやクモだと考えられている。それらは巣に侵入して、幼虫を捕食する。成虫は外骨格が硬いので殆ど被害はない。成虫は自らが背を向けて巣穴の栓になり、外敵の侵入を防ぐことがある。小型哺乳類も天敵だと考えられる。
Geoscapheusは同じオーストラリアの南東部サバンナ地帯に生息する。ヨロイモグラゴキブリよりもやや小ぶりながら、やはりゴキブリとしては大柄で、頑強な外骨格も似通っている。
上記の生態からも分かる通り、本種が人間の生活圏に侵入したり生活や経済活動に悪影響を与えたりする可能性はほとんどないため、害虫とは考えられていない。生息地域のオーストラリアでは、ペットとして飼われることもある[4]。
