INVESTIGATORY PROJECT-BIOLOGY

STUDY OF LIFE CYCLE OF COCKROACH

OBJECTIVE :
TO STUDY ABOUT THE MORPHOLOGICAL AND TO KNOW ABOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF
COCKROACH.

MATERIALS REQUIRED :
PRESERVED SPECIMENS OF DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGESOF
COCKROACH,NOTEBOOK,PEN ETC.

CLASSIFICATION OF COCKROACH:
 PHYLUM – ARTHROPODA
 CLASS – INSECTA- ONE OR TWO PAIRS OF WINGS ATTACHED TO THE THORAX
 ORDER- DICTYOPTERA-INSECTS WITH FILIFORM ANTENNA WITH MANY
SEGMENTS
 FAMILY- BLATTIDAE FOLDING OF HIND WINGS, SPINES IN FEMOR
 GENUS –PERIPLANETA
 SPECIES- AMERICANA

BLATTA ORIENTALIS, B GERMANICA FOUND IN INDIA BLATTA ORIENTALIS, B

GERMANICA FOUND IN INDIA BLATTA ORIENTALIS, B GERMANICA FOUND IN INDIA

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 BLATTA ORIENTALIS, B GERMANICA FOUND IN INDIA

MORPHOLOGY OF COCKROACH:

Dorsal view

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VENTRAL VIEW:

EXTERNAL FEATURE:
THE BODY OF THE COCKROACH IS ELONGATED AND SEGMENTED.
IT IS DARK BROWN OR REDDISH BROWN IN COLOUR.
THE EXOSKELETON IS THICK AND HARD MADE UP OF CALCAREOUS PLATES CALLED SCLERITES. THERE ARE 10
SEGMENTS. THE SEGMENTS ON
— ON DORSAL SIDE (OR NOTUM) ARE CALLED TERGUM
—ON VENTRAL SIDE ARE CALLED STERNUM.
THE EXOSKELETON IS COATED WITH WAX IMPERMEABLE TO WATER. IT PROTECTS THE BODY FROM LOSS OF WATER
AND PROVIDES RIGIDITY AND SURFACE FOR ATTACHMENT OF BODY MUSCLES.
THE ADJACENT SEGMENTS ARE JOINED BY THIN, SOFT AND FLEXIBLE ARTHROIDAL MEMBRANE.
THE BODY IS DIVISIBLE INTO HEAD, THORAX AND ABDOMEN.
THE COCKROACH HAS THREE PAIRS OF JOINTED APPENDAGES AND TWO PAIRS OF WINGS.
THE FORE WINGS ARE MESOTHORACIC AND ARE CALLED WING COVERS OR TEGMINA OR ELYTRA. THEY COVER THE
HINDWINGS AND ARE PROTECTIVE IN FUNCTION. THESE ARE DARK STIFF OPAQUE AND LEATHERY.
THE HIND WINGS ARE LARGE, THIN, MEMBRANOUS AND TRANSPARENT. THEY ARE KEPT FOLDED BELOW THE
TEGMINA AND ARE USED FOR FLYING.

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MOUTH PART OF COCKROACH:

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VENTRALLY, AN OPENING CALLED MOUTH IS PRESENT ON THE HEAD THAT REMAINS SURROUNDED BY THE MOUTH
PARTS CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF MANDIBLES, FIRST MAXILLAE, LABIUM OR FUSED SECOND MAXILLAE,
HYPOPHARYNX AND LABRUM.
THE MOUTH PARTS OF THE COCKROACH HELP IN 'BITING AND CHEWING' ITS FOOD.
FUNCTIONS OF THE MOUTH PARTS:

LABRUM: IT IS THE BROAD, FLATTENED TERMINAL SCLERITE OF THE DORSAL SIDE OF HEAD CAPSULE, MOVABLY
ARTICULATED TO THE CLYPEUS ACTS AS UPPER LIP. IT HAS EPIPHARYNX (CHEMORECEPTORS) ON ITS INNER SIDE.

MANDIBLES: THICK HARD AND TRIANGULAR APPENDAGES BENEATH THE LABRUM, ON EACH LATERAL SIDE OF THE
MOUTH, WHICH BEAR POINTED, TEETH LIKE PROCESSES CALLED DENTICLES.

FIRST MAXILLAE: LOCATED ON EACH SIDE OF THE MOUTH NEXT TO MANDIBLES FOR CUTTING AND CHEWING. THEY
ALSO BEAR OLFACTORY RECEPTORS.

LABIUM: THE SECOND MAXILLAE ARE FUSED TOGETHER FORMING A SINGLE LARGE STRUCTURE WHICH COVERS THE
MOUTH FROM VENTRAL SIDE, HENCE CALLED THE 'LOWER LIP' OR LABIUM. IT BEARS TACTICLE AND GUSTATORY
SENSORY SETAE.

HYPOPHARYNX: IT IS A SMALL, CYLINDRICAL MOUTHPART, SAND WITCHED BETWEEN FIRST MAXILLAE AND COVERED
BY LABRUM AND LABIUM ON DORSAL AND VENTRAL SIDES RESPECTIVELY. IT BEARS SEVERAL SENSORY SETAE ON ITS
FREE END, AND THE OPENING OF COMMON SALIVARY DUCT UPON ITS BASAL PART.

COMPOUND EYE:

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THE COMPOUND EYES ARE SITUATED AT THE DORSAL SURFACE OF THE HEAD. EACH EYE CONSISTS OF ABOUT 2000
HEXAGONAL OMMATIDIA (SING.: OMMATIDIUM). WITH THE HELP OF SEVERAL OMMATIDIA, A COCKROACH CAN
RECEIVE SEVERAL IMAGES OF AN OBJECT. THIS KIND OF VISION IS KNOWN AS MOSAIC VISION WITH MORE
SENSITIVITY BUT LESS RESOLUTION, BEING COMMON DURING NIGHT (HENCE CALLED NOCTURNAL VISION).

LEG OF COCKROACH:

A COCKROACH'S THORAX ATTACHES THREE PAIRS OF LEGS. EACH OF THE THREE PAIRS OF LEGS IS NAMED AFTER
THE REGION OF THE THORAX TO WHICH IT ATTACHES:
THE PROTHORACIC LEGS ARE CLOSEST TO THE COCKROACH'S HEAD. THESE ARE THE SHORTEST LEGS, AND THEY ACT
LIKE BRAKES WHEN THE ROACH RUNS. THE MIDDLE LEGS ARE THE MESOTHORACIC LEGS. THEY MOVE BACK AND
FORTH TO EITHER SPEED THE ROACH UP OR SLOW IT DOWN.
THE VERY LONG METATHORACIC LEGS ARE THE COCKROACH'S BACK LEGS, AND THEY MOVE THE COCKROACH
FORWARD.
THESE THREE PAIRS OF LEGS, ARE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT IN LENGTHS AND FUNCTIONS, BUT THEY HAVE THE
SAME PARTS AND MOVE THE SAME WAY. THE UPPER PORTION OF THE LEG, CALLED THE COXA, ATTACHES THE LEG
TO THE THORAX. THE OTHER PARTS OF THE LEG APPROXIMATE PARTS OF A HUMAN LEG:
THE TROCHANTER ACTS LIKE A KNEE AND LETS THE COCKROACH BEND ITS LEG.
THE FEMUR AND TIBIA RESEMBLE THIGH AND SHIN BONES.
THE SEGMENTED TARSUS ACTS LIKE AN ANKLE AND FOOT. THE HOOK-LIKE TARSUS ALSO HELPS COCKROACHES
CLIMB WALLS AND WALK UPSIDE DOWN ON CEILINGS.

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POTERIOR ABDOMINAL SEGMENT:

THE FIGURE SHOWS POSTERIOR ABDOMINAL SEGMENTS OF COCKROACH (A) MALE DORSAL VIEW (B) MALE
VENTRAL VIEW (C) FEMALE DORSAL VIEW (D) FEMALE VENTRAL VIEW.

SIDE VIEW OF COCKROACH SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE SYSTEMS:

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DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

 THE ALIMENTARY CANAL IS LONG AND SOMEWHAT COILED DIVISIBLE INTO THREE MAIN PARTS NAMELY
FOREGUT, MIDGUT AND HINDGUT.
 FOREGUT (STOMADAEUM) IS DIFFERENTIATED INTO FIVE PARTS: BUCCAL CHAMBER, PHARYNX,
OESOPHAGUS, CROP AND GIZZARD.
 GIZZARD IS MUSCULAR AND INTERNALLY PROVIDED WITH SIX CUTICAL TEETH WHICH CRUSHES THE FOOD.
 A STOMODAEAL VALVE IS PRESENT BETWEEN GIZZARD AND MESENTERON.
 MIDGUT (MESENTERON OR VENTRICULUS) IS SHORT, TUBULAR LINED WITH GLANDULAR ENDODERM.
 AT ANTERIOR END OF MESENTERON THERE ARE EIGHT BLIND GLANDULAR HEPATIC CAECAE WHICH SECRETE
DIGESTIVE ENZYMES.
 HINDGUT (PROCTODAEUM) COMPRISES ILEUM, COLON AND RECTUM.
 THE WALL OF RECTUM IS PROVIDED WITH SIX RECTAL PAPILLAE. THEY HELP IN THE ABSORPTION OF WATER
AND SALTS.

Reproductive System of Cockroach – Male:

IN COCKROACH, SEXES ARE SEPARATE, SO DIOECIOUS.

1. TESTES OF COCKROACH ARE LOCATED IN THE ABDOMINAL SEGMENTS 4, 5 AND

6.
2. MUSHROOM GLAND (UTRICULAR GLAND)CONSISTS OF TWO TYPES OF TUBULES,
(A) THE LONG SLENDER TUBULES THE UTRICULI MAJORES OF PERIPHERAL
TUBULES AND (B) SHORT TUBULES, THE UTRICULI BREVIORES, MAKING UP OF

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 THE MAJOR PART OF THE GLAND.
3. SMALL SEMINAL VESICLES ARE ALSO FOUND ASSOCIATED WITH MUSHROOM
GLAND.
4. ALL SPERMS OF A SEMINAL VESICLE ARE GLUED TOGETHER INTO A LARGE
BUNDLE CALLED SPERMATOPHORE.
5. SPERMATOPHORE HAS THREE LAYERED WALL : INNER LAYER SECRETED
BY UTRICULI MAJORES; MIDDLE LAYER SECRETED BY EJACULATORY DUCT AND
OUTER LAYER SECRETED BY PHALLIC GLAND OR CONGLOBATE GLAND.
6. THERE ARE THREE ASYMMETRICAL CHITINOUS STRUCTURES CALLED
MALE GANOPOPHYTES OR PHALLOMERES. RIGHT PHELLOMERE, LEFT
PHALLOMERE (LARGEST) AND VENTRAL PHELLOMERE (SMALLEST)

 NIVOROUS FEEDS ON ALL SORTS OF ORGANIC DEBRIS.

 THE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES OF SALIVA ARE MAINLY ZYMASE AND AMYLASE.
 MOST OF THE NUTRIENTS OF FOOD ARE DIGESTED IN THE CROP.
 ABSORPTION OF DIGESTED FOOD TAKES PLACE IN MESENTERON.

Reproductive System of Cockroach – Female

 FEMALE ORGAN CONSIST OF OVARIES, OVIDUCT, VAGINA, GENITAL CHAMBER, SPERMATHECAE,
COLLETERIAL GLANDS AND FEMALE GANOPOPHYSIS (OVIPOSITOR PROCESSES).
OVARIES OF COCKROACH ARE LOCATED IN THE ABDOMINAL SEGMENTS 2 TO 6. EACH OVARY CONSISTS OF
EIGHT OVARIOLES.
 TWO OVIDUCTS FROM EACH SIDE OPEN INTO A COMMON OVIDUCT OR VAGINA WHICH OPEN INTO GENITAL
CHAMBER.
 A PAIR OF COLLATERIAL GLANDS ALSO OPEN IN GENITAL CHAMBER.
 GENITAL POUCH OR GYNATRIUM IS DIVISIBLE INTO A GENITAL CHAMBER IN FRONT AND OOTHECAL
CHAMBER BEHIND.
 FEMALE GENITALIA CONSISTS OF 3 PAIRS OF CHITINOUS PROCESSES HANGING FROM THE ROOF OF
OOTHECAL CHAMBER INTO ITS CAVITY.

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  OOTHECA OF COCKROACH CONTAINS SIXTEEN FERTILIZED EGGS. OOTHECA OF COCKROACH IS FORMED OF A
PROTEIN SECRETED BY COLLETERIAL GLANDS.

LIFE CYCLE OF COCKROACH:

WHEN YOU DISCOVER A COCKROACH IN THE HOME, IMMEDIATE STEPS
SHOULD BE TAKEN TO GET RID OF THE PEST. THE BEST WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO IS BY UNDERSTANDING THE
COCKROACH AND WHAT ITS LIFE CYCLE IS LIKE. A COCKROACH UNDERGOES THREE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE: EGG, NYMPH, AND ADULT STAGES.

REPRODUCTION – EGG STAGE

FEMALE COCKROACHES CAN LAY FROM 10 TO 55 EGGS AT A TIME. THE
MAJORITY OF COCKROACHES ARE OVIPAROUS, MEANING THE EGGS DEVELOP OUTSIDE OF THE MOTHER INSTEAD OF
INSIDE. TO PROTECT THEIR YOUNG, COCKROACHES CREATE NESTS AND LAY EGGS IN WARM, MOIST AND TIGHT
SPACES CONDUCIVE TO A SAFE AND VIABLE ENVIRONMENT. HERE’S WHAT A COCKROACH EGG LOOKS LIKE:

TYPICALLY IT WILL TAKE THE EGGS ONE TO TWO MONTHS TO HATCH, BUT DEPENDING ON THE SPECIES IT CAN
HAPPEN FASTER OR SLOWER. THEIR ABILITY TO FREQUENTLY REPRODUCE MAKES COCKROACHES DIFFICULT TO
CONTROL. DEPENDING ON THE SPECIES, A FEMALE CAN LAY EGGS MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR AND PRODUCE
HUNDREDS, EVEN THOUSANDS OF OFFSPRING A YEAR. DISCOVERING COCKROACH INFESTATIONS EARLY AND
REMOVING THEM QUICKLY IS VITAL TO CONTAINING THEIR SPREAD.

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BABY COCKROACH – NYMPH STAGE
ONCE A COCKROACH EGG HATCHES, THE BABIES ENTER THE NYMPH
STAGE. IN THIS STAGE A COCKROACH WILL GO THROUGH MOLTINGS OR INSTARS, SHEDDING THEIR EXOSKELETONS
TO GROW AND GET BIGGER.
AT THE BEGINNING, BABY COCKROACHES WILL BE WHITE BEFORE DARKENING TO THEIR
NORMAL BROWN COLORATION AS THEY MOLT AND MATURE.

DEPENDING ON THE SPECIES, FEMALE COCKROACHES MAY NOT CARE FOR THEIR NYMPHS. SOME WILL ABANDON
THEIR YOUNG BY HIDING AWAY FROM THE NEST WHILE OTHERS CARE FOR THEIR OFFSPRING THROUGHOUT THEIR
NYMPH STAGE. THE NYMPH STAGE CAN LAST FROM A FEW MONTHS TO ALMOST A YEAR.

DEVELOPED COCKROACH – ADULT STAGE

ONCE A COCKROACH EXPERIENCES ITS FINAL MOLTING, IT WILL BE A
FULLY-FUNCTIONAL AND SEXUALLY-ACTIVE ADULT. THE AVERAGE ADULT COCKROACH WILL BE 1-1/2 TO 3 IN. LONG
WITH THREE PAIRS OF LEGS, TWO PAIRS OF WINGS AND A LONG PAIR OF ANTENNAE ON THE FRONT OF THEIR HEAD .
MOST COCKROACHES ARE BROWN.

WHILE MANY COCKROACH SPECIES HAVE WINGS, THE MAJORITY DO NOT FLY. HOWEVER, THEY WILL CRAWL
QUICKLY FROM PLACE TO PLACE, TRAVELING UP TO TWO TO THREE MILES PER HOUR TO AVOID PREDATORS. AS
ADULTS, FEMALES WILL BEGIN COURTING AND ATTRACT MALES TO BEGIN THE REPRODUCTION PROCESS.

Cockroach Lifespan:
THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN FOR A COCKROACH IS ONE TO TWO YEARS, WITH SOME
SPECIES LIVING AS LONG AS A DECADE. ONE OF OLDEST SURVIVING INSECTS ON THE PLANET, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT
COCKROACHES HAVE EXISTED FOR 200 MILLION YEARS, WITH SOME BELIEVING THEY GO BACK EVEN 350 MILLION
YEARS. THEIR ABILITY TO REPRODUCE OFTEN AND IN LARGE NUMBERS, ALONG WITH THEIR STURDY EXOSKELETON
AND SURVIVAL INSTINCTS, ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE ON.

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