Bark Cockroach

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Bark Cockroach

Bark Cockroach

Laxta sp.


Nocturnal. A communal insect that lives in small colonies using scent to communicate with each other. Many cockroaches lay their eggs protected in a tough, leathery capsule while some give birth to live young. The nymphs resemble their parents and moult up to 12 times before reaching adult size. 


Details Description
Type
Invertebrate
Group
Insect - Cockroach
Identifying Characteristics

Body oval shaped, dark brown or grey brown, up to 3 cm in length. Males have wings and a pale edge to their thorax. Females are wingless and have a broader body. Sometimes called trilobite roaches because of their trilobite-like appearance.

Distinctive Markings

Dark, oval shaped, very flat body.

Diet

Herbivore. Eats wood fibres. Adult cockroaches are eaten by other invertebrates (especially spiders), birds, lizards, frogs and mammals. They are also parasitised by round worms and wasps.

Habitat

Lives under bark or under rotting logs in forests, woodlands and heathland.

Native Status
Native to Australia
Taxonomy
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Blattodea
Family
Blaberidae
Genus
Laxta
Species
sp.
Bark Cockroach
Found throughout Australia, including throughout Victoria.

Distribution maps indicate current and historic locations where species have been sighted.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Conservation Status
DEPI Advisory List
Not listed
FFG Act
Not listed
EPBC Act
Not listed

The conservation status of species is listed within Victoria and Australia.

The Department of Environment and Primary Industry (DEPI) Advisory List consists of non-statutory advisory lists of rare or threatened flora and fauna within Victoria.

The Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) lists threatened species in Victoria. Under the Act, an Action Statement is produced for each listed species.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s key piece of environmental legislation, listing nationally threatened native species and ecological communities.