Activity

TMEN513 Lab Exam: Cockroaches and Bugs
Panatchaya Somaree ID:6438168

Question1: Please describe how you identify the cockroaches (selecting at least two species)
Answer: In order to identify or distinguish the cockroaches, the “morphology” is what needed, whether looking at the size, the present of some organs, or the characteristic of the organs which differ among sexes or species. The following species are the examples of the cockroaches’ identification using morphology.
– Blatta orientalis (Oriental cockroach): large-sized cockroaches with dark color. In female, the wings are very short called pads (difficult to find). In male, the wings covered 3/4 part of the abdomen
– Blatta germanica (German cockroach): small-sized cockroaches with specific characteristics of having 2 longitudinal dark bands on pronotum. In female, wings are longer than the abdomen. In male, wings are about the same length or slightly shorter than the abdomen.
– Supella longipalpa (ฺBrown-banded cockroach): small-sized cockroaches with specific characteristics of having 2 transverse dark bands on the wings. In male, wings are longer than the abdomen.

Question2: What is the difference between genus Triatoma and Rhodnius?
Answer: The genus Triatoma and the genus Rhodnius are the genus of the triatomine bugs (under the family Reduviidae and subfamily Triatominea) which can be the vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi known as the causative agent of Chagas’ disease. The morphology of both genera are quite similar, not only sharing the same type of front wings which is hemelythra (thick at base and membranous at tip) but also the same type of mouthparts which is piercing-sucking with straight proboscis. The difference between them is the position of the antennae. The antennae of the genus Triatoma arises from the side of heads at the middle between eyes and tip, whereas the antennae of the genus Rhodnius arises from the side of heads at the anterior end.