Arenivaga investigata Friauf & Edney 1969

Arenivaga investigata, also known as the desert cockroach, is a member of the cockroach family Corydiidae.

Male. NB: Holotype is destroyed by dermestid beetles. Neotype designated and described here. Measurements. Holotype TL = 18.3 mm, GW = 11.3 mm, PW = 8.00 mm, PL = 5.49 mm, TL/GW = 1.62, PL/PW = 0.69. EW = 0.70 mm; OW = 0.70 mm. Among paratypes range of TL 15.0–24.8 mm; range of GW 6.5–11.5 mm; range of PW 4.73–8.13 mm; range of PL 3.73–5.82 mm. Head. Two ocelli large, ovoid and protruding (0.40 × 0.35 mm); vertex light orange-brown, with darker small ridges between apices of eyes extending on to ocellar tubercles, scattered short setae; interocellar space slightly concave, light orange-brown. Frons light orange-brown, concave; bound on either side by ridges extending from inner apex of ocelli outwards to lateral edges of clypeus; scattered long setae on ridges. Anterior portion of frons light orange-brown, very bulbous; clypeal suture demarcates light orange-brown anteclypeus. See Fig. 96d. Pronotum. Pronotum translucent waxy beige; variable length orange-brown setae along anterior margin; dorsal surface of pronotum covered with short orange-brown setae that are denser and longer anteriorly and laterally; pronotal pattern variable in color from light orange-brown through every shade to medium brown, “panther face”, no aura, usually discernible detail. See Fig. 96c. Body. Wing brace present. Legs and body medium orange-brown; subgenital plate strongly asymmetrical with posterior edge emarginated, rounded apices. See Fig. 96b. Forewings. Wings extended beyond abdominal apex a great distance in some specimens, but only a short distance in others; color, like size, highly variable from pale with no blotches through medium brown with darker blotches; surface opaque and matte. See Fig. 96a. Genitalia. Right dorsal phallomere composed of bulbous lightly sclerotized narrow ended hook-shaped lobe, articulated with right ventral phallomere on lateral side; central field lightly sclerotized; medial margin sclerotized, smooth, concave in ventral view; medial margin smoothly curved at anterior end, shagreened greatly extended knob at posterior end with dorsally pointing thick blunt spine. Small central sclerite smooth, concave, with field of punctations on interoventral surface. Right ventral phallomere extends from articulation smooth bulbous lobe with posteromedial pointing spine that may have narrow or broad base; recedes anteriorly to collar-like rim; after moderate gap, long, narrow, flanged, concave arm, extending to greater depth than rest of phallomere. Folded anterior portion of left phallomere moderately wide, finely punctate and setose. Genital hook with long pointed head and depression along short hook; arm smoothly curving. See Fig. 97.

This species is found from northern Baja California and northwestern Sonora, Mexico northwards through southeastern California, southwestern Arizona, and southern Nevada. See Fig. 98.