A new genus and species of ovoviviparous blaberid cockroach, Simandoa conserfariam is described that lives in bat guano in a cave in Guinea, West Africa. The male's subgenital plate, styles, and genitalia clearly place it in the Blaberidae: Oxyhaloinae: Nauphoetini. It is close to Henschoutedenia and Nauphoeta, but lacks stridulating structures on the pronotum and tegmina which are present in some species of the other 2 genera. The taxon belongs in the “Guanobies” group of cockroaches and lives in bat guano that accumulates not far from the entrance of the cave where light is present: Simandoa shows none of the characteristics of a troglobite (obligate cave-dweller) which, compared to surface dwellers, has reduced eyes and wings.
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1 June 2004
A new genus and species of cave cockroach (Blaberidae: Oxyhaloinae) from Guinea, West Africa
Louis M. Roth,
Piotr Naskrecki
Journal of Orthoptera Research
Vol. 13 • No. 1
June 2004
Vol. 13 • No. 1
June 2004
Bat
cavernicolous
Guano
hotspot
mining
Phaeophilacris
Simandoa