Broad Wood Cockroach

Parcoblatta lata (Brunner) (Plate V, figures 6 to 10; plate T, figure i.)
1865. I[schnoptera] lata Brunner, Xouv. S>'st. Blatt., p. 135. (Exclusive of synonymy.) [cf, Xorth America ? i^^]
1869. Ischnoptera hyalina Scudder, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. ii, p. 307. [cf, Dela-
• ware.]
1893. Tenmopteryx major Saussure and Zehntner, Biol. Cent.-Amer., Orth., i, p. 54. [ 9 , Tennessee.]
1905. Ischnoptera inaeqitalis Rehn and Hebard, (not of Saussure, 1862), Proc. Acad. Xat. Sci. Phila., 1904, p. 779. (In part.) [o^, Thomasville, Georgia.]
1905. Ischnoptera major Rehn and Hebard, ibid., p. 780. [Juv. ; Thomasville, Tyty Plantation and Ocklockonee River, Georgia.]
1910. Ischnoptera coiiloniana Rehn and Hebard, (not of Saussure. 1862), Proc. Acad. Xat. Sci. Phila., 1910, p. 433. (Excepting references for I. coiiloniana by
Saussure and Saussure and Zehntner.) [Twenty records from Delaware to Texas.]
Scudcler, evidently misled by Brtmner's-"'^ incorrect and questioned synonymy under lata of Blatta elongata Beauvois and Ischnoptera uortoniana Saussure, described the male of the present species as /. hyalina, the type of which is before us. Failure to associate the sexes resulted in Saussure and Zehntner's synonym, Tenmopteryx major.
The problem of properly associating these names has been extremely difficult. Rehn and Hebard, in 1910, vorked out the above synonymy in full, but unfortunately considered that Icoiiloniana Saussure, represented the present species.-*'^ Careful comparison of the figure of that species, the measurements and description, with the much larger series of the genus now available,
^^^ Brunner's description fits material before us in every detail, and we feel little doubt as to the correctness of his locality. His clearly incorrect synonymy has resulted in the failure of subsequent authors to place properly this name.
-"The synonymy indicated by Brunner, in his " Nouveau Systeme des Blattaires," was clearly made in haste, and in the majority of cases without careful studof the data at hand or examination of material involved. The valueless character of such synonymic effort is illustrated by his placing I. coiiloniana Saussure under /. pensylvanica on page 136, and under /. lata on page 413.
-"' But two records by Rehn and Hebard as coiiloniana do not represent the present species. The specimen from Anglesea, New Jersey, recorded in 1916, is a male showing the maximum recessive coloration of divisa; the female from Fort Myers, Florida, rcccrfk'd in 19 14, is an exceinionally large cxainj le n{ fidvescens. leaves no room for doubt that coidoniana must be placed in the synonymy under the older P. peiisylvanica (De Geer).
Normal representati-es of l)oth sexes of the present species agree in many ways with P. fiilvescens, but are very much larger. In the male, however, the specialization of the proximal dorsal abdominal segments is of the type found in P. caudelli, the projections being more pronounced in lata. In the female the tegmina are normally roundly truncate distinctly beyond the apex of the anal field, a condition ne'er found in females oi fulvescejis.
This is the largest and most robust of the normally pale species of the genus. The maximum intensive coloration, found in males from the Mississippi xalley region, gives such specimens a decided similarity to that sex of P. pensylvanica; however, these are easily separated by the very different specialization of the proximal abdominal segments, outline of sixth dorsal abdominal segment and of supra-anal plate, and the less elongate and broader tegmlna and wings.
Characters of Male. — (Raleigh, North Carolina.) Size large, form robust. Head rather evenly rounded for this sex, ocelli well-defined, margins of ocellar areas rounding weakly into inter-ocular-ocellar area, which area is feebly flattened. Pronotum am|)le, with greatest width (normally) mesad,202 but with lateral margins from this point slightly more convergent cephalad than caudad, oblique sulci of disk weakly defined. Tegmina and wings fully developed, normal; tegmina moderately broad, but with point of greatest width meso-proximad; wings (in the series) with two to four incomplete and five to seven complete rami of the ulnar vein. Median segment supplied mesad with two small and weak ridges, convergent cephalad, with cephalic faces of each supplied with a heavy tuft of hairs, surface of segment well supplied cephalad of these ridges with minute, but rather stout, scattered hairs. First dorsal abdominal segment similarly specialized in every way, except that the ridges are slightly more pronounced and the scattered hairs cephalad are fewer. Sixth dorsal abdominal segment with distal margin nearly straight, transverse; seventh with distal margin weakly angulate-emarginate mesad, with sides of emargination convex; eighth with distal margin showing (normally) a similar, but very slight, emargination. Supra-anal plate with lateral margins convergent and weakhconex from cerci to broadly rounded apex, 203 surface very briefly convex aboe cerci, feebly and unevenly concave in entire remaining portion, which is strongly
202 Frequent specimens in the series show this slightly caudad of the mesal point. The margins of the pronotum also often show slight differences in the degree of curvature.
-"•■' Frequent variation occurs in the form of this plate; often slight irregularities of the margins are found, while the apex varies from broadly blunt (though never as blunt as in pensylvanica) to rather sharjily rounded.
declivent distad. Cerci elongate and slender, with lateral margins moderately crenate distad. Subgenital plate weakly convex, except at immediate base of sinistral style and more extensively at base of dextral style, where it is weakly concave; free margin roughly convex except before base of sinistral style, where a brief emargination (normally) occurs.^o* Styles small, simple and cylindrical, situated disto-laterad in sockets on the ventral surface of the plate at the free margin, each slightly shorter than half the distance between their bases. Exposed folded ventral portion of seventh dorsal abdominal segment in length equal to exposed portion of ninth ventral abdominal segment.
Characters of Female. — (Raleigh, North Carolina.) Size very large, form very robust. Head larger and more evenly rounded than in male, with interocular space slightly less than that between antennal sockets, large ocellar spots present. Pronotum very much larger than in male, with greatest width at point near caudal margin and discal sulci obsolete. Tegmina represented by broad, quadrato-ovate pads; veins distinct; sutural margins overlapping; distal margin broadly rounded, with its mesal portion (normally) transyerse.^os the truncation commencing distinctly beyond the apex of the anal field. ^oe Wings represented by decidedly atrophied pads, with apices acute, fields and veins subobsolete. Sixth dorsal abdominal segment with distal margin briefly concave laterad, broadly and distinctly convex mesad. Supra-anal plate nearly half as long as wide, lateral margins convergent and feebly concave to rather bluntly rounded apex. Subgenital plate strongly convex, with free margin showing a weak concavity proximo-laterad before bases of cerci, thence feebly convex throughout, but with mesal portion showing a broad flattening of this convexity.
cf
Measurements (in millimeters)
Length of Length of Width of Length of Width of
body pronotum pronotum tegmen^"' tegmen
Delaware — 4-8 6.1 21.8 6.4
Plum Point, Maryland 17.5 4.6 5.7 18.9 5.7
Raleigh, North Carolina (11)20-21.5 4-8-52 5-9-6.4 19-4-22.1 6-6.8
Jacksonville, Florida. . 19.5 4.5 5-8 i9-7 5-9
Crawford County, Indiana 20.5 4.6 5.7 21.8 6.7
214 This concavity is occasionally subobsolete; rarely it is broader and more extensive, extending over half the sinistral margin.
-»5 In some series this margin is evenly and broadly convex, -ery rarel>a faint concavity Is indicated on the margin of the discoidal field.
2'"5 Rare specimens havethis truncation commencing immediately at the ajiex of the anal field. In such specimens the usually much greater size serves to separate them from females oifulvescens, to which of the other species they alone bear a general resemblance. It is important to note that fulvescens attains its greatest size development in southern peninsular Florida, in which region lata apparently does not occur.
2»' The length of the exposed portion of the tegmen is given for females.
■7[ Length of Length of Width of Length of Width of
'-' body pronotuin pronotiim tegmen tegmen
Evergreen, Alabama. 18.2 4.1 5.4 17.8 5.2 St. Louis, Missouri. . . (4) 18. 5-19 4.7-4.9 6.1-6.7 20.7-21.4 6.2-6.4 Natchez, Mississippi. . (2) 18-20 4.2-4.8 6-6.7 18. 4-2 1.7 5.8-6.8 Tallulah, Louisiana. . . 18.5 4.8 6.4 18.7 6.3 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 19.2 4.8 6.6 19.9 6.3 Plum Point, Maryland (2) 19.5-20 5.4-5.8 7.4-7.7 7.1-7.4 5.4-5.2 Raleigh, North Carolina (20)18.5-22 5.4-6.2 7.1-8.2 6.3-8 4.7-5.7
Ortega, Florida (2) 18-18. 5 4.8-5.2 6.8-7.3 6-6.7 4-7~5
Crawford County, Indiana (4) 17-18 4-9-5-4 71-7-8 5-9-^J-7 4-8-5-3
Evergreen, Alabama. . (11)15.7-18.5 5-5.8 6.7-7.8 6-6.9 4-8-5.6
St. Louis, Missouri .. . (3) 18-19 .5-7~5-8 7.8-8.2 6.7-6.9 5.1-4.9
Natchez, Mississippi. . 18.8 5.9 7.8 6.8 5.2
Beaumont, Texas. .. . (2) 17. 5-1 8. 5 5.7-6.1 7.6-8.1 7.3-6.4 5 ■3-5-1
A certain amount of geographic variation is found in this species, both in size and in coloration,-"'* but very decided indivichia! variation in both these features also occurs.
Coloration. — cf. (Recessive.) (Normal in eastern material; 4 cf, St. Louis, Missouri; i cf, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.) Head with occiput tawny, shading to chestnut brown between the eyes and fading to tawny below the ocelli ; genae and clypeus ochraceousbuff. Ventral surface of body laterad chestnut brown, shading to hazel mesad on alxlomen. Limbs ochraceous-ljuft". Pronotum with disk clear ochraceous-tawny, with margin narrowly ochraceous-buff cephalad, more broadly laterad, the caudal portions of the lateral margins transparent. Tegmina transparent, weak ochraceous-tawny. Wings hyaline, very feebly tinged with ochraceous-buff, area of costal veins washed with ochraceous-tawny. Dorsal surface of abdomen ochraceous-tawny, becoming chestnut brown distad. Cerci chestnut brown. \ the maximum recessive condition the chestnut brown is everywhere dilute and less extensive. (Weak intensive.) (i cf, Evergreen, Alabama; i cf , Alarianna, l-lorida.) Head, from between eyes to clypeus, chestnut
2°* Specimens from the CaroHnas, from the Piedmont to the coast, average ver>' large. Males appear to show frequent different degrees of intensive coloration in the Mississippi Valley region.
brown, as is the entire ventral surface of the insect, including the lateral portions of the coxae. Limbs ochraceous-tawny. Pronotum with disk zinc orange mesad, shading to tawny cephalad and to chestnut brown laterad and caudad, cephaHc and lateral margins light ochraceous-buff. Tegmina and wings slightly darker than in recessive condition. (Maximum intensive.) (2 cf , Natchez, Mississippi.) (PI. V, Fig. 6.) Head with genae and ocelli light ochraceous-buff, remaining portions chestnut brown, as is the ventral surface of the insect, becoming blackish distad on the abdomen. Limbs cinnamon brown. Pronotum with disk solid, deep chestnut brown; margins narrowly cephalad, more broadly laterad, light ochraceous-buff. Tegmina translucent cinnamon brown. Wings hyaline, tinged with cinnamon brown, heavily suffused with this color in area of costal veins and, to a less degree, in distal portion of anterior field. Abdomen with dorsal surface chestnut brown, becoming blackish distad; cerci blackish brown.
9 . (Recessive.) (Normal in eastern material, rare west of ^Appalachian Mountains.) Head with occiput kaiser brown, deepening below to carob brown, genae ochraceous-tawny, ocellar spots cream color. Limbs ochraceous-buff, strongly tinged with tawny from femora distad. Ventral surface of abdomen blackish brown, shading to carob brown mesad. Pronotum kaiser brown, sometimes, to different degrees, shading to ochraceous-buff laterad, particularly latero-caudad. Tegmina translucent kaiser brown, with marginal field ochraceous-buff. Dorsal surface of abdomen blackish brown, proximad the segments, in increasing degree, are deep hays russet in broad proximo-mesal portion. In the maximum intensive condition the insect is entirely shining blackish brown, except the marginal fields of the tegmina which are translucent ochraceous-buff, suffused with carob brown. Even the ocellar spots are blackish brown and scarcely discernible. In specimens of decided intensive coloration the margins of the pronotum laterad arc not unfrecjuently ochraceous-buff, the extent of this coloring being individually variai)le.
Immature individuals of lata and fulvescens might easily be confused in the earlier stages, in the i)resent species the head is normally decidedly darkened. In lata, half grown specimens are already nearly as large and appreciably broader than normal adults of fnlvescois. Immature examples of P. pen sylvanica , which are unusually pale in general coloration, are easily confused in early, as well as late, stages with those of the present species.
The ootheca is carried with suture laterad. It is similar to that oifulvescens, except that the microscopic granulations of its surface are somewhat heavier and toward the suture are arranged in irregular longitudinal rows. The ootheca differs from that o( fulvescens also in being often 'ery long (9.7 mm.; Beaumont, Texas), its normal depth 3.9 mm.
The distribution of the present species extends on the Atlantic coast from Delaware'-'^'-* and Glendale, Maryland, to Gulf Hammock, Florida, no material having been secured in Florida south of this point. -'° Westward its distribution is known to extend as far as Beaumont, Texas; thence northward to Jacksonville, Texas; St. Louis, Missouri and Wyandotte, Indiana.
Specimens Examined : 190; 45 males, 95 females and 50 immature individuals.
Delaware, l cT, type of /. hyalinn Scudder, [Amer. Ent. Soc, in A. N. S. P.l.
Laurel, Maryland, VII, 15, 1883, 2 9, [Hebard Cln.].
Chestertown, Md., VIII, 5, 1901, (E. G. Vanatta). 2 9, [A. N. S. P.].
Plum Point, Md., VI, 21, 1914, (J. D. Hood), i cf , 2 9, [U. S. N. M.].
Lloyds. Dorchester County, Md., VII, 10, 1907, (H. S. Barber), i 9 . [U. S. X. M.].
Washington, District of Columbia, I', 1904, (A. N. Caudell), 2 ju-. cf; I cf, Falls Church, Virginia, (X. Banks), i c?' ; , 6, 1903, i juv. cf , i ju-. 9 ; VI, 23, I 9, [allU. S. X. M.].
Ocean View, Va., VIII, 9, 1904, (A. X. Caudell), i 9 , [U. S. N. M.j.
Raleigh, Xorth Carolina, III, 7, 1905, (S. W. Foster), i juv. d", [Cornell L^niv. Cln.]; 'I, 7 to MI, 8, 1904, (C. S. Brimley: bred, VI, 11 to 21; under bark of pine logs), 11 d^, 20 9 , [Hebard Cln. and A. X. S. P.].
Goldsboro, X. C, VII, 25, 1913, (Rehn and Hebard; under bark of short-leaf pine stump), i 9 , [A. X. S. P.].
Southern Pines, X. C, VI, 2 toX'III, 17, 1915, (A. II. Manee), 5 cf , 10 9, [Hebard Cln.].
Wilmington, X. C, VIII, i, (G. P. Englehardt), i 9, [Davis Cln.].
Winter Park, X. C, IX, 7, 1911, (Rehn and Hebard), i small juv., [Hebard Cln.].
Lake Waccamaw, X. C IX, 8. 191 1, (Rehn and Hebard; in sweet gum logs and stumps), 4 juv. o^. 3 juv. 9 . 2 small juv., [Hebard Cln. and A. X. S. P.].
^"^ See footnote 201. -'" See footnote 201.
Nance, N. C, VI, 12 and 16, 1906, (S. W. Foster), 2 d", [Cornell Univ. Cln.].
Charlotte, N. C, VII, 27, 1913, (Rehn and Hebard; under sign on red oak), i 9, [Hebard Cln.].
Tryon, N. C, V, 20, (W. F. Fiske), i o^, [U. S. N. M.].
Sulphur Springs, N. C, VI, 5, 1904, (Hebard), 2 d", i juv. d", [Hebard Cln.].
Florence, South Carolina, IX, 6, 191 1, (Rehn and Hebard; under bark of shortleaf pine log), I juv. cf , [Hebard Cln.].
Columbia, S. C, VII. 28, 1913, (Rehn and Hebard), i 9 , [Hebard Cln.].
Spartanburg, S. C, VIII, 6, 1913, (Hebard), 2 9 , [Hebard Cln. and A. X. S. P.].
Clayton, Georgia, VI, 1909, (W. T. Davis), i cT, [Davis Cln.].
Thompson's Mills, Ga., (H. A. AUard), i d", [U. S. N. M.].
Atlanta, Ga., V, 6 to 18, 1899, (J. H. Emerton), i d", [M. C. Z.]; VIII, 18, 1912, 2 9, [A. X. S. P. and Hebard Cln.].
Egypt, Ga., (W. H. Finn), i 9 , [U. S. N. M.].
Macon, Ga., VII, 30 and 31, 1913, (Rehn and Hebard), i 9 , [Hebard Cln.].
Thomasville, Ga., IX, 21 to III, 25, 1903 and 1904, (Hebard), 4 juv. o". 3 juv. 9 ; V, 6, 1903, (for Hebard), i d', [all Hebard Cln. and A. X. S. P.].
Bainbridge, Ga., i 9, [Hebard Cln.].
Spring Creek, Decatur County, Ga., VII, 16 to 29, 1912. (J. C. Bradley), i cT, I 9 , [A. N. S. P. and Hebard Cln.].
Jacksonville, Florida, IV, 19, (P. Laurent), i d", [Hebard Cln.].
Ortega, Fla., IX, 6, 1913, (VV. T. Davis), 2 9 , [Davis and Hebard Clns.].
Gulf Hammock, Levy County, Fla., Ill, (P. Laurent), i d", [A. X. S. P.]
Tallahassee, Fla., VIII, 8, 1903, (A. P. Morse), i 9 , [Morse Cln.].
River Junction, Fla., VIII. 31, 1915, (Hebard; under bark of pine log), i juv. cf, [Hebard Cln.].
Marianna. Fla., VIII, 7, 1903, (A. P. Morse), i d", i 9, [Morse Cln.].
De Funiak Springs, Fla., VIII, 5, 1903, (A. P. Morse), 3 9, [Morse Cln.].
Montgomery, Alabama, IX, 8, 191 5, (Hebard; juv. moderately numerous under bark of dead short-leaf pines), i juv. 9 , [Hebard Cln.].
Selma, Ala., IX, 9, 1915, (Rehn and Hebard), i juv. cf , [Hebard Cln.].
Greenville, Ala., VIII, 3. 1915, (Hebard; under dead pine bark), i 9. 3 small juv., [Hebard Cln. and A. N. S. P.].
Dothan, Ala., IX, 7, 1915. (Hebard; under bark of long-leaf pine stumj^s), i juv. cf, I juv. 9, [Hebard Cln.].
Evergreen, Ala., VIII, 4, 1915, (Hebard; majority with many young under bark of pine stump), i c?, n 9,3 juv. d', 2 small juv., [Hebard Cln. and A. N. S. P.].
Flomaton, Ala., VIII, i, 1903, (A. P. Morse), 4 9, [Morse Cln.].
Mobile, Ala., VIII, 26, 1915, (Rehn and Hebard ; occasional under signs on longleaf pines, where Aglaopteryx gemma Hebard, was more numerous), 69,1 juv. cf , I small juv., [Hebard Cln. and A. N. S. P.].
Wyandotte, Crawford County, Indiana, V, 7, 1902, (W. S. Blatchlcy), i cf ; V, 18, 1902, (W. S. Blatchlcy), i juv. 9 ; VI, 27 to VII, 7, 1899 to 1902, (W. S. Blatchley), 5 9 , [Hebard Cln., A. N. S. P. and U. S. N. M.]. Posey County, Ind., VI, 6, 1904, (V. S. Blatchley), i 9 , [Blatchley Cln.].
Agricultural College, Mississippi, III, 25 to 31, 1903, (J. H. Comstock), 2 juv. 9 , [Cornell Univ. Cln.].
Jackson, Miss., IX, 12, 1915, (Hebard), i juv. cT, [Hebard Cln.].
Natchez, Miss., V, 20, 1909, (E. S. Tucker; in dead oak), i 9 ; VI, 7, 1909, (E. S.

Parcoblatta lata (Brunner)
1865. I[schuopteni] lata Brunner, Xouv. Syst. Blatt., p. 135. (Exclusive of synonymy.) [cf. North America?]
This species, widely distributed throughout the southeastern United States, is fully discussed on page 126.
W'ellesley, Massachusetts, VII, 3, 1916, (A. P. Morse; in house), I 9, [Morse Cln.].

Parcoblatta lata, the broad wood cockroach, is a species of wood cockroach (family Ectobiidae) native to the United States. It is one of the largest species of wood cockroaches.