Blatta americana Linnaeus 1758: 424 Ecology and Diversity of Cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattaria) from the Virgin Islands Lu, Wenhua Valentine, Barry D. Perez-Gelabert, Daniel E. Gutiérrez, Esteban Insecta Mundi 2014 2014-02-14 2014 349 1 32   Blatta americana  Linnaeus 1758: 424   4F34V (Linnaeus) Linnaeus 1758 [238,716,993,1018] Insecta Blattidae Periplaneta Animalia Blattodea 25 24 Arthropoda species americana      Blatta americana Linnaeus 1758: 424; America.   Diagnosis. Adults 27–38 mm, with full tegmina in both sexes; elongate oval, reddish-brown; pronotum bicolored, disc with yellow encircling a large, irregular, central, reddish-brown area that is sometimes weakly divided into two; outer basal margin of tegmina without a contrasting yellow stripe; supra-anal plate sub-triangular, elongate, strongly bilobed, semi-transparent; cerci slender, almost as long as mid tarsi, apical 1/2 (female) or 1/3 (male) articles longer than broad. Nymphs are shades of brown without yellow spots or bands.   Comments. Cosmopolitan spread has produced multiple synonyms for  Periplaneta americana. This edificarian pest is easily distinguished from another widespread congener  P. australasiae(Species 24), by the tegmina color pattern. This is a common species on Guana Island; it is a nocturnal ground-dweller; individuals scurried around fallen tree trunks and rocks behind the hotel area ( Table 1). Familiarity and abundance explain the fact that few specimens were collected for island records. Ledru (1810)first reported it from St. Thomas and St. Croix, and Lazell (2005)from Guana Island. A local BVIpest control agent has confirmed its presence in major edificarian habitats on Virgin Gorda and Tortola (J. Egelhoff, pers. comm. 24.X.2011). It is herein recorded for the first time on Anegada and Little Thatch of BVI, and St. John of USVI, in addition to other previous records on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, and other Antillean islands ( Shelford 1910, Princis 1966).  Specimens examined.   BDVC— 1 male, BVI, Anegada Is., airport vicinity,  20-21.X.2004, Valentines& Sibleys, at UV;  2 males, BVI, Guana Is.,  8-9.X.2004, B. D. Valentine& S. C. Valentine-Cooper, at UV;  2 males, BVI, Guana Is.,  6.X.2006/  24.X.2007, B. D. Valentinefamily, at UV/under debris;  3 males/ 4 females, BVI, Guana Is., 1-7/15-21/  22-28.X.2001, 9-15/  23-30.X.2002, 8.X.2003, B. & B. Valentine, at UV;  2 males, BVI,  Little Thatch Is.,  23.X.2008, W. Lu.  MCZ— 5 adults, BVI, Guana Is., B.& B. Valentine.  NMNH— 1 male, BVI: Guana Is., hotel area,  6-13.X.2001, D. E. Perez-Gelabert.  UDCC— 1 male/ 1 female, BVI, Guana Is., 21/  23.X.1997, C. R. Bartlett.  VIIS— 1 male, USVI, St. John Is., Lameshur Bay,  18-27.VII.1972, A. Gray;  1 male, USVI, St. John Is., Lameshur Bay,  7. VII.1968, R. Philibosian;  1 female, USVI, St. John Is., Lameshur Ranger Station,  15.XI.1958, C. F. Adams. 2004-10-20 2004-10-21 2004-10-20 BDVC, UV Valentines & Sibleys British Virgin Islands Is. 25 24 1 1 2004-10-08 2004-10-09 2004-10-08 UV B. D. Valentine & S. C. Valentine-Cooper British Virgin Islands Guana Is. 25 24 2 2 [246,1315,1761,1786] 2006-10-06 2007-10-24 2006-10-06 UV B. D. Valentine British Virgin Islands Guana Is. 25 24 2 2 2001-10-22 2001-10-28 2001-10-22 UV B. & B. Valentine British Virgin Islands Guana Is. 25 24 7 4 3 1972-07-18 2008-10-23 1972-07-18 MCZ, NMNH, UDCC, R, VIIS Little Thatch Is. & W. Lu. & Guana Is., B. & Guana Is. & D. E. Perez-Gelabert. & A. Gray British Virgin Islands Lameshur Bay 26 25 Little Thatch Is. St. John Is. 25 24 11 5 1 5 [492,1321,1008,1032] 1968-07-07 VII, R Philibosian Virgin Islands St. John Is. Lameshur Bay 26 25 1 1 1958-11-15 C. F. Adams Virgin Islands St. John Is. Lameshur Ranger Station 26 25 1 1