Achroblatta luteola (Blanchard, 1843)

Estrada-Álvarez, Julio C., de Luna, Manuel, Núñez-Bazán, Reinier & Sormani, Carlo G., 2023, New state records of the firefly-mimicking cockroach Achroblatta luteola (Blanchard, 1843) (Blattodea: Blaberidae: Panchlorinae) in Mexico, Revista Chilena de Entomología (Rev. Chil. Entomol.) 49 (4), pp. 741-745 : 742-744

Achroblatta luteola (Blanchard, 1843)

( Figs. 1 A-G, 2)

Distribution. Neotropical, from Mexico to Brazil.

Diagnosis. Panchlorine with a shiny pronotum usually provided with small transverse ridges in the surface ( Figs. 1A, D ). Body length 18-26 mm. Tegmina and wings extending beyond posterior border of the abdomen ( Figs. 1 A-B). Femur I without spines; femur II and III with a single genicular spine. Black antennae with yellow segments in the anterior region ( Figs. 1 A-C). Supra-anal plate with right paraproct thorny ( Fig. 1E ). Styles of subgenital plate dissimilar ( Fig. 1F ), the sclerite are slightly sclerotic ( Fig. 1G ). Additional information in Roth (1971), Gurney & Roth (1972), and McKittrick (1964).

Material examined. Achroblatta luteola . COSTA RICA. Alajuela. 2 females, N slope Volcán de Rincón , 2 km W Dos RÍos, 550 m a.s.l., 22-V-1985, col. J.T. Doyen, P.A. Opler (blacklight) ( UNAM-CNIN) . MEXICO. Chiapas. 3 males, 2 females, Agua Azul , 1-V-1978, col. E. Barrera ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 female, Agua Azul , I-V-1978 (nocturnal collecting) ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 female, Cascadas Agua Azul, Municipality of Tumbalá , 17°15’323’’N, 92°06’578’’W, 28-III-2011, col. A. Contreras, R. Barba ( UNAM-CNIN) . 3 males, 2 females, Reserva de Montes Azules, Chajul, Municipality of Ocosingo , 28-IV-1986 to 5-V-1986, col. F. Arias, R. Barba, L. Cervantes ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 female, Ruinas de Bonampak, Municipality of Ocosingo , 2-V-1978, col. E. Barrera ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 male, road to Tornillo , Municipality of Ocosingo, 16°48’12’’N, 90°52’11.8’’W, 156 m a.s.l., 12-VII-2004, col. J. Castelo ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 male, 3 km west of Laguna Belgica , Municipality of Ocozocoautla, 16°53’47.2’’N, 93°27’9.5’’W, 956m a.s.l., 5-20-VII-003, col. V.H. Toledo, A.M. Corona ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 female, Reserva El Ocote , 2-10-XII-1993, col. G. Ortega, E. Barrera, A. Casasola ( UNAM-CNIN) . Guanajuato. 1 female, Municipality of Acámbaro , XI-1942 ( UNAM-CNIN) . Puebla. 1 male, Est. de Bomb 1, Municipality of San Diego , 16-V-1953 ( UNAM-CNIN) . Quintana Roo. 1 male, km 146 road Chetumal-P. Juárez 17-VI-1984 (light trap) ( UNAM-CZD) . 1 male, Limones, Municipality of Bacalar , 25-VI-2014, coll. Jorge J. RodrÍguez-Rojas ( CER) . Tabasco. 1 male, Cocona, Municipality of Teapa , 18-IX-1960 . Veracruz. 1 male, 2 females, Estación de BiologÍa Tropical Los Tuxtlas, Municipality of San Andrés Tuxtla ; male 170 m a.s.l., 8-VIII-1985, col. A. Ibarra; first female 160 m a.s.l., 24-VII-1985, col. P. Sinaca; second female 7-IX-1988 ( EBTLT) . 1 male, 2 females, Estación de BiologÍa Tropical Los Tuxtlas, Municipality of San Andrés Tuxtla , 18.585N, - 95.0747W, 25-VII-2022, col. Manuel de Luna (attracted to lights) (UANL- FCF-BLATT055) . 1 male, 5 females, Estación de BiologÍa Tropical Los Tuxtlas, Municipality of San Andrés Tuxtla ; male 19-IV-1989, col. E. Barrera, J. L. Colin; first female 7-VIII-1989, col. H. Rojas, J. L. Colin; second female 21-X-1988, col. M. A. Pérez, E. Mejorada; third female 7-VI-1990, col. G. Ortega, C. Mayorga; fourth female 14-17-VI-1989, col. J. L. Colin, H. Rojas; fifth female 29-IV-1991, col. C. Mayorga, G. Ortega ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 female, Los Tuxtlas , 14- VI-1985, col. L. Cervantes ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 female, Las Cabañas , 29-VI-1979, col. E. Mariño P. ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 female, Municipality of Sontecomapan , 25-IV-1959 ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 female, Ocotal Chico or Santa Martha, Municipality of Soteapan , 23-V-1982, col. H. Pérez ( UNAM-CNIN) . 1 female, Cerro del VigÍa, Municipality of Santiago Tuxtla , 13-IX-1970, col. C. Márquez M. ( UNAM-CNIN) .

Photographic records (iNaturalist). Achroblatta luteola . MEXICO. Chiapas. Municipality of Ocosingo, 16.7474°N, - 91.1233°W, 16-VI-2022, photo by “sabrewing”. Municipality of Motozintla , 15.2727°N, - 92.4020°W, 15-IX-021, photo by “issabell” . Quintana Roo. Municipality of Tulum, 20.4664°N, - 87.7060°W, 2-VII-2019, photo by “scott_g”. Municipality of Othón P. Blanco, 18.5044°N, - 88.5285°W, 3-VII-2019, photo by “cesasrraziel”. Municipality of Ocosingo, 16.9788°N, - 91.5830°W, 29-IV-2019, photo by “byron29”. Municipality of Ocosingo , 16.9757°N, - 91.5802°W, 29-IV-2019, photo by “wilichankin” . Tabasco. Municipality of Macuspana , 19-VII-2022, photo by “jm-30” . Veracruz. Municipality of San Andrés Tuxtla, 18.5843°N, - 95.0783W, 25-VII-2018, photo by “jacobgorneau”. Municipality of Amatlán de los Reyes, 18.9224°N, - 96.8739W, 4-XII-2019, photo by “axel-f-m”. Municipality of Naranjal , 18.7998°N, - 96.9520°W, 18-V-2023, photo by “amira719”. Municipality of Catemaco , 18.4453°N, - 95.0629°W, 29-V-2022, photo by “zipactli”. Municipality of Xalapa , 19.4893°N, - 96.8904°W, 28-VII-2022, photo by “danymarin” .

Achroblatta luteola is the only North American Blaberidae which mimics fireflies ( Lampyridae ), making it very easy to identify, thus, citizen science platforms such as iNaturalist can confidently record this species. It had been reported for Mexico for the state of Veracruz ( Estrada-Álvarez 2013) and with the new records presented herein it is now known from the states of Chiapas, Guanajuato, Puebla, Quintana Roo and Tabasco. This species shows positive phototropism. Future endeavors dedicated to the study of this species should focus on its captive husbandry to study its life cycle, making an emphasis on how to distinguish the nymphal stages of this species from those of Pelloblatta Rehn, 1903 and Panchlora Burmeister, 1838 . All records correspond to the Neotropical realm, with the exception of the Guanajuato record, which we consider doubtful (red dot in Fig. 2 ). The extensive distribution of A. luteola warrants comprehensive taxonomic studies to confirm its taxonomic status. Although it has been documented in the Neotropics, this species inhabits diverse ecosystems, suggesting the potential presence of cryptic lineages, since speciation is not always discernible through external morphology alone ( Rivera et al. 2018). Furthermore, there is limited understanding of the relationship between the mimicry displayed by this species and its defensive behaviors. It remains unclear whether such mimicry varies across its distribution in relation to the firefly species present.

Figures

Figure 1. Achroblatta luteola from Veracruz, Mexico. A. Dorsal view of adult female. B. Ventral view of adult male. C. Antenna. D. Dorsal view of the pronotum. E. Supra-anal plate of male (pr = paraproctus, sap = supranal plate). F. Subgenital plate of male (app = apodeme, st = style, sgp = subgenital plate). G. Male genitalia (L1 = left sclerite one). Scale bars A, B=10 mm; C, D=2 mm; E-G=1 mm. / A. Vista dorsal de hembra adulta. B. Vista ventral de macho adulto. C. Antena. D Pronoto en vista dorsal. E. Lámina supra-anal masculina (pr = paraprocto, sap = lámina supra-anal). F. Lámina subgenital masculina (app = apodema, st = estilo, sgp = lámina subgenital). G. Genitales masculinos (L1 = esclerito izquierdo uno). Barras de escala A, B=10 mm; C, D=2 mm; E-G=1 mm.

Figure 2. Records of Achroblatta luteola for Mexico and neighboring areas. Red dot represents a doubtful record (Guanajuato). / Registros de Achroblatta luteola para México y áreas limÍtrofes. Punto rojo representa un registro dudoso (Guanajuato).