Ecology and Diversity of Cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattaria) from the Virgin Islands
Author
Lu, Wenhua
Author
Valentine, Barry D.
Author
Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E.
Author
Gutiérrez, Esteban
text
Insecta Mundi
2014
2014-02-14
2014
349
1
32
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.5178725
1942-1354
5178725
F1B10721-596C-4F0C-8C1C-9636E1E78C85
14.
Nyctibora lutzi
Rehn and Hebard
(
Fig. 12
), NEW RECORD
Nyctibora lutzi
Rehn and Hebard 1927: 193
;
Puerto Rico
.
Diagnosis
. Adults
31–36 mm
, with full tegmina in both sexes; broadly oval, dorsum entirely dark brown and densely covered with very short, fine, cinereous setae. Nymphs very dark reddish-brown to almost black, densely covered with similar setae which can be partially absent (especially on pronotum) due to abrasion. Adults and larger nymphs with one or more pairs of faint, glabrous, pronotal grooves, each pair convergent anteriorly; last tergite narrow and triangular with weak apical emargination; male supra-anal plate trilobate apically.
Comments
. Among the cockroach species in the
Virgin Islands
,
Nyctibora lutzi
is readily recognized by its large size (>
30 mm
), densely and finely tomentose dorsum, full tegmina, and uniform dark brown color in both sexes. The pronotal widths of 11 nymphs suggest six instars. It is a nocturnal ground dweller (
Table 1
). On Guana Island in
October 2008
adults were observed at night actively foraging and courting on the orchard flat. Nymphs were often found in rotten
Agave
; this habitat is similar to that in epiphytic bromeliads for
the Dominican
Republic species (
Gutiérrez and Perez-Gelabert 2000
). A female specimen collected in
June 1996
from St. John carried an oothecum. Originally described from
Puerto Rico
, this is not a common species on Guana and is recorded for the first time on St. John of
USVI
, Guana, Little Thatch, and
Tortola
of
BVI
, in addition to a previous record on
Puerto Rico
(
Gutiérrez and Fisk 1998
).
Specimens examined
.
BDVC
—
1 male
,
BVI
,
Guana Is.
,
26.X.2004
,
B. D. Valentine
&
S. C.
Valentine-
Cooper
;
7 nymphs,
BVI
,
Guana Is.
,
10.X.2003
,
B. & B. Valentine
;
2 nymphs,
BVI
,
Guana Is.
, 11/
13.X.2004
,
B. D. Valentine
&
S. C. Valentine-Cooper
, at
UV
; 1 nymph,
BVI
, no other data;
1 female
,
BVI
,
Little Thatch Is.
,
19.X.2012
,
W. Lu
;
2 males
/
1 female
/1 nymph,
BVI
, Tortola
Is.
,
Lock Hill
,
15.
VI
.2002
, C.
Petrovic
, at light.
MCZ
—
1 female
[with oothecum],
USVI
,
St. John
,
Great Cruz Bay
,
15-23.
VI
.1996
,
B. & B. Valentine.
NMNH
—
1 male
,
BVI
,
Guana Is.
,
27.IX.2003
,
W. Lu
&
S. Lazell
;
1 female
,
BVI
,
Guana Is.
,
8.X.2003
,
W. Lu
.