''Methana marginalis'', also known as the common methana and the bush cockroach, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

cockroach Cockroaches (or roaches) are a Paraphyly, paraphyletic group of insects belonging to Blattodea, containing all members of the group except termites. About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are we ...

native to the

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

coast of Australia. The species was first described as ''Periplaneta marginalis'' by

Henri Louis Frédéric de Saussure Henri Louis Frédéric de Saussure (; ; 27 November 1829 – 20 February 1905) was a Swiss mineralogist and entomologist specialising in studies of Hymenoptera and Orthopteroid insects. He also was a prolific taxonomist. Biography Saussu ...

in 1864. The species was introduced to

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together w ...

in the mid-to-late 20th century, first seen in New Zealand in the 2020s, and in the 21st century has increasingly been seen in the southeastern Australia.

Description

''Methana marginalis'' is a relatively large cockroach species, with adult specimens measuring approximately . It is dark brown in colour, with a light yellow band around the edge of its body, yellow-brown coloured legs, and

tegmen A tegmen (plural: ''tegmina'') designates the modified leathery front wing on an insect particularly in the orders Dermaptera (earwigs), Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets and similar families), Mantodea (praying mantis), Phasmatodea (stick and ...

completely covering the abdomen.

Taxonomy

''Methana marginalis'' was first described by

in 1864, who named the species ''Periplaneta marginalis'', based on specimens that had been collected from Australia in 1845 and 1846.

William Forsell Kirby William Forsell Kirby (14 January 1844 – 20 November 1912) was an English entomologist and folklorist. Life He was born in Leicester. He was the eldest son of Samuel Kirby, who was a banker. He was educated privately, and became interest ...

placed the species within the genus ''

Methana Methana ( el, Μέθανα) is a town and a former municipality on the Peloponnese peninsula, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Troizinia-Methana, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has ...

'' in 1904.

Distribution and habitat

The species is commonly found in coastal

, Australia, including K'gari / Fraser Island, and since the mid-2000s has increasingly been seen in Sydney,

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. Since the 1990s, the species had been identified in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

and in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

by the 2010s. It is commonly found in forested areas of

, where it is suspected to have been introduced from Queensland via nursey plant stock in the mid-to-late 20th century. The species had become common on the island by 1988. ''Methana marginalis'' has also been identified in Buho Cave in

General Luna, Surigao del Norte General Luna, officially the Municipality of General Luna ( Surigaonon: Lungsod nan General Luna; tl, Bayan ng Heneral Luna), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Surigao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a po ...

in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, and in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

. The species is typically found under the bark of dead trees, and among foliage, especially common in banana plantations. By the 2000s, the species had increasingly been reported to be adapting to live within Australian homes, and out-competing the

German cockroach The German cockroach (''Blattella germanica''), colloquially known as the croton bug, is a species of small cockroach, typically about long. In color it varies from tan to almost black, and it has two dark, roughly parallel, streaks on the prono ...

Behaviour

Females of the species attach oothecae (egg capsules) to the undersides of loose bark and leaf litter, and cover the oothecae with debris.

Parasites

The species is host to the parasitic worm species '' Beatogordius lineatus''.

Gallery

Methana marginalis adult Dorsal view; AMNZ189758 001.jpg, Type specimen of ''Methana marginalis'', dorsal view Methana marginalis adult Dorsal view; AMNZ189759 001.jpg, Type specimen of ''Methana marginalis'', dorsal view with wings extended Methana marginalis adult Ventral view; AMNZ189758 002.jpg, Type specimen of ''Methana marginalis'', ventral view Methana marginalis adult Ventral view; AMNZ189759 002.jpg, Type specimen of ''Methana marginalis'', ventral view with wings extended

References

{{Authority control Blattidae Cockroaches Insects described in 1864 Insects of Australia Blattodea of New Zealand Taxa named by Henri Louis Frédéric de Saussure Fauna of Norfolk Island