Module 1 of 11
General Characteristics & Habitat
Nocturnal, omnivorous insect found in human habitations and warm moist environments.
Systematic Position of Periplaneta americana
Cockroach is a common insect usually found in human dwellings, kitchens, drains, and storage rooms.
Scientific name: Periplaneta americana (American Cockroach).
It is nocturnal, omnivorous, fast-moving, and dorsoventrally flattened.
Acts as a mechanical carrier of disease-causing organisms, making it an important species in public health studies.
The American cockroach is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions and lives in warm, moist environments such as sewers, drains, basements, kitchens, bathrooms, and garbage areas.
Anatomical Illustration / Diagram
Figure: American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
| Taxonomic Rank | Classification | Key Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia | Multicellular heterotrophic organisms |
| Phylum | Arthropoda | Jointed appendages, chitinous exoskeleton |
| Class | Insecta | Three body regions (head, thorax, abdomen), 3 pairs of legs |
| Order | Blattodea | Flattened body, leathery forewings (tegmina) |
| Genus | Periplaneta | Cosmopolitan omnivorous species |
| Species | americana | Reddish-brown American cockroach (34-53 mm length) |