Large Brown Cockroach

Periplaneta brunnea Burmeister
1838. P[criplaneta brunnea Burmeister, Handb. Ent., ii, abth. ii, pt. i, p. 503. [cT, 9 : Chile; Demerara [British Guiana].]
We have discussed this species on page 182. Asheville, North Carolina, VIII, 1897, I 9, [Hebard Cln.].

Periplaneta brunnea Burmeister
1838. P[criplancla] brunnea Burmeister, Handb. Ent., ii, abth. ii, [)t. I, j). 503.
[cf, 9 ; Chile; Demerara [ = British Guiana].] 1896. P[eriplaneta iriincata Griffini, Boll. Mus. Zool. Anat. comp. Univ. Torino, ix,
no. 236, p. 4. [cf, 9 ; Rio Lara, Darien.] 12 to 16. (Detailed diagnosis.)
Porto Bcllo, Panama, III. 18, 1911, (Busck), i cf .
Gatun, Canal Zone, Pan.. VHI, 6 to 22, 1916. (Harrower), ^d'.

Periplaneta brunnea Burmeister (Plate VI I, figures 12 to 16.)
1838. P{eriplaneta] hriinnea Burmeister, Handb. Ent., ii, abth. ii, pt. i, p. 503.
[cf, 9: Chile; Demerara [ = British Guiana].] 1892. P[en>/aHf/a] /nmcata Krauss, Zool. Anzeig., XV, p. 165. [d, 9 : Tenerit^e;
Brazil; New Britain.]
Krauss, evidently relying upon a manuscript name of Brunner's, without further reference to the literature, erected the evident synonym, truncata. This synonymy was indicated by Kirby in 1904.'^^
The species has been generally correctly recorded in the literature; unfortunately, however, North American material of P. Juliginosa has been regularly assigned to the present species by Caudell, Rehn and Hebard, two records by the latter authors, however, being correct.
The species is easily determined from the male genital features; agreeing much more closely, however, with Juliginosa and P. australasiae than with the distinctive P. americana. With the latter species, however, females might easily be confused, the features separating these species in that sex being much less marked, as discussed under americana, and the coloration being of the same general character and occasionally very similar.
The insect in size averages smaller than americana, with tegmina and wings not as elongate, particularly in the male sex; the paired
2»' Syn. Cat. Orth., i, p. 142. pronotal blotches are usually less conspicuous, due in part to the normally more deeply colored suffusion at the caudal margin of the pronotum, and the more extensive dark coloration of its lateral margins. Great individual variability in the extent and intensity of these markings, however, sometimes occurs in both species, this wholly ascribable to intensification and recession of the color pattern.
Characters of Male. — (Jewfish, Florida.) Size large, but not as large as americana: form stout. Head short and broad; interocular space broad, about one and one-half millimeters in width; ocellar areas forming obtuse angles with intcrocellar area, ocelli pale and distinct. Pronotum very weakly convex mesad, the sides weakly but distinctly deflexed laterad from the discal area and showing a very weak concavit}-, oblique sulci of disk subobsolete; form as in americana, but not as deep, with caudal angles not as broadly rounded. Tegmina and wings elongate, but not as much so as in americana, fully developed. Dorsal surface of abdomen with median segment showing a broad and shallowconcave sulcus meso-cephalad, in which is situated a heavy tuft of silky hairs, the more cephalic form a fringe directed caudad, the much larger remainder spring from the medio-longitudinal line and form heavy fringes directed latero-caudad. Four proximal dorsal abdominal segments with latero-caudal angles very sharply rounded;-'fifth and sixth with these angles weakly acute-angulate produced in increasing ratio caudad, the latter with caudal margin showing a broad convexity meso-laterad on each side and a broad and shallow angulate emargination mesad; seventh and eighth concealed. Supraanal plate entirely chitinous, surface shallowly concave; roughly trapezoidal in form, with disto-lateral angles broadly rounded and distal margin showing a weak convexity. Cerci moderately elongate, not as attenuate distad as in americana, but with apex acute. Sinistrad within the anal chamber, an elongate, slender, chitinous arm extends caudad, curving dorsad toward the apex, which itself is flattened and terminated in a thorn, curved dextrad; near the base of this not extensive distal, flattened portion, on its dorsal margin, is situated a smaller thorn, feebly curved sinistrad. Above this is situated a very elongate chitinous process, directed dextrad, with elongate, straight, aciculate apex; this process bears proximo-dorsad a small, elongate lobe, also directed dextrad. Three other short, stout, curved, chitinous, thorn-like processes occur, one dorso-mesad, the other two dextrad, springing from convolute, chitinous structures. Subgenital plate similar to that of americana, except that the broad transverse mesal portion of the free margin shows a weak mesal emargination and the styles are about as long as the plate.

The brown cockroach (Periplaneta brunnea) is a species of cockroach in the family Blattidae. It is probably originally native to Africa, but today it has a circumtropical distribution, having been widely introduced. In cooler climates it can only survive indoors, and it is considered a household pest.

This cockroach is similar in appearance to the American cockroach (P. americana), but darker in color and with thicker, wider, triangular cerci. It is a reddish-brown color and has fully developed wings. It reaches up to 4 centimeters in length.

It produces an ootheca about 1.2 to 1.6 centimeters long containing about 24 eggs on average.

It is an omnivore.