Giant burrowing cockroach

Common card · No. 407315

The giant burrowing cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros), also known as the rhinoceros cockroach and Queensland giant cockroach, is a large cockroach native to Australia, found mostly 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...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Mark Pellegrini (Raul654), CC BY-SA 2.5