Perisphaerus

Members of the genus Perisphaerus are commonly known as Ball Roaches or Pill Roaches, but these cute, tropical insects are not your average roaches. They are sexually dimorphic, meaning that the females look very different from the males. While the males are relatively typical looking "flattened" insects, the females have rounded bodies and have the neat ability to roll up into a tight defensive ball (aka "conglobulation") when they feel threatened. They look rather like rolly-pollys when they do this.

These roaches can be found in Australia and southeast Asia, and are well worth getting a closer look at. Some species of Perisphaerus are a brilliant, cardinal red, while others are attractively metallic. With their interesting morphology and behavior, and their unusual sexual dimorphism, these poorly known insects are well worth further study.