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The Madagascar hissing cockroach ( Gromphadorhina portentosa ), also known as the hissing cockroach or simply hisser, is one of the largest species of cockroach, reaching 5 to 7.5 centimetres (2 to 3 inches) at maturity. They are native to the island of Madagascar, which is off the African mainland, where they are commonly found in rotting logs.
The Madagascar hissing cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa (Schaum), is native only to the island of Madagascar. Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, is located off the east coast of Africa. It has a tropical to subtropical climate that supports an extremely diverse fauna, including some of the largest insects in the world.
The Madagascar hissing cockroach even begins its life in an unusual manner. Females create a cocoon-like egg case called an ootheca and carry their eggs (and neonatal nymphs) inside their bodies.
The Madagascar hissing cockroach is all hiss and no sting. Its alarm hiss, which sounds like a loud snake hiss, is the cockroach's attempt to scare off intruders. The male cockroach also uses distinct hisses to attract a mate and to intimidate other male cockroaches. When defending their territory from other males, these cockroaches will hiss, push, and shove, and stand on their “toes” to ...
Oct 26, 2023 · The Madagascar hissing cockroach is one of the rare ovoviviparous species of roaches. This means it produces eggs that hatch within the female’s body, which makes it appear that the female is giving birth to live young. These nymphs, tiny and white at birth, gradually darken to a brownish color as they mature. ...
The Madagascar hissing cockroach is a large, wingless cockroach from Madagascar, an island off the coast of Africa. Little is known about its ecology, but this insect probably lives on the forest floor in rotten logs and feeds on fallen fruit. The Madagascar hissing cockroach is a fascinating insect because of its unusual ability to produce sound.
The Madagascar hissing cockroach is one of the largest cockroach species in the world, growing to 2–3 inches long as an adult—one could almost cover your palm from thumb to pinky—and weighing nearly 1 ounce. It’s shiny, oval-shaped, and has a long pair of antennae. This insect is a sharp dresser.
Species: Gromphadorhina portentosa. Biology. Madagascar hissing cockroaches are large cockroaches (2-3 inches long and 1 inch wide), which are native to the island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa. Males look different from females (sexual dimorphism). Males have prominent protrusions on the thorax, which are called pronotal humps.
Gromphadorhini, the hissing cockroaches, is a tribe of large, flightless cockroaches comprising 20 known species in six genera, all but one from the island of Madagascar where they inhabit wood, leaf litter or rocky crevices in forest or woodland; the one exception, Elliptorhina lefeuvri, being from Europa Island off the coast of Madagascar.
Hissing cockroaches live in large colonies. They hiss when threatened by a predator, to sound an alarm for other roaches in their colony or during male cockroach fights. Small holes called spiracles on their backs are used for breathing. If they force air out of the spiracle quickly, it makes the hissing sound.
