Boll's Wood Cockroach

Parcoblatta bolliana (Saussure and Zehntner) (Plate III. figures i to 3.)
1893. Ischnoptera bolliana Saussure and Zehntner, Biol. Cent.-Amer., Orth., i,
p. 4. [d ■■ New Mexico, and Texas.] 1904. Kakerlac schaefferi Rehn, Psyche, xi, p. 72. [ 9 , Esperanza Ranch near
Brownsville. Texas.]
The above synonymy has been indicated by Rehn and Hebard,"^ schaefferi having been based on the then unrecognized female of this species.
This insect is very distinct from any other of the genus. The males of this species and of P. desertae differ, from all other known males of the genus, in the unspecialized median and dorsal abdominal segments. The females, with those of P. americana, show the greatest tegminal reduction found in this sex of the genus;
1" Proc. Acad. N'at. Sci. Phila., 1910, p. 449, (1910).
similar, but more ample, lateral subtriangular pad-like tegmina are, however, found in the females of P. desertae and P. uhleriana.
Compared with desertae, the males are found to differ: in the narrower interocular space; dark colored head, even in the palest specimens; more pronounced pronotal sulci; distinctly more produced supra-anal plate, with free margin less truncate between the cerci; shorter cerci with joints decreasing more rapidly in size distad, and more nearly symmetrical subgenital'plate, the plate at the dextral style not being more produced than at the sinistral style, the margin between these transverse.
The very dark females, with minute, lateral tegmina, which scarcely extend beyond the caudal margin of the metanotum, could only be confused with those of americana. The present species averages smaller, and the females are more compact, with interocular space equalling that between the antennal sockets, with tegmina showing hardly any traces of venation and with supraanal plate less strongly and more bluntly produced.
Characters oj Male. — (Waco, Texas. "2) Size small for the genus, form slender. Interocular space four-fifths (varying in the series to fully as wide as) interocellar space. Ocelli well defined. Area between eyes and ocelli appreciably flattened to a point just above the antennal sockets, with surface slightly roughened and showing microscopic transverse folds. Maxillary palpi delicate, with third and fifth (distal) joints subequal in length, each longer than fourth joint. Pronotum with greatest width slightly caudad of mesal point, oblique sulci of disk very decided and connected caudad by a short, transverse, arcuate impression. Tegmina and wings normal, fully developed; wings (in the series) with two to five incomplete and two to five complete rami of the ulnar vein. Median and dorsal abdominal segments unspecialized. Supra-anal plate weakly deplanate and weakly declivent distad, about twice as broad as long, free margin convex from above the cerci, but with mesal portion showing some weakening of the curvature. Cerci short with nine (normal) distinct joints, these decreasing rapidly in size distad. Genital hook situated sinistrad, a sharply recurved chitinous process, with recurved portion straight and very elongate and directed almost parallel to the basal shaft; mesad and adjacent, is situated a very slender and much shorter, moderately curved, aciculate, chitinous process. Subgenital plate with surface moderately convex except distad, where it is weakly deplanate; lateral third of free margin, on each side, nearly straight and moderately convergent, mesal third nearly straight, transverse; at the distal angles thus formed are situated, in weakly defined sockets, simple slender styles, similar in size and form and in length equal to half the distance between their bases. Exposed portion of eighth dorsal abdominal segment, which
"-The "Texas" ty])e was probably taken at Dallas, or at this not distant locality.
is folded ventrad over the base of the subgenital plate, decidedly elongate, nearly twice as long as exposed portion of seventh ventral abdominal segment.
The transverse flattening of the distal margin of the supra-anal plate is in some males before us very weakly defined, in occasional specimens pronounced. Numerous microscopic hairs are present on pronotum and tegmina.
Characters of Female. — (Austin, Texas.) Size small, form ellipitical, stout and compact, with dorsal surface moderately convex and glabrous. Head much larger, distinctly broader and more convex than in male. Interocular space subequal to that between antennal sockets; minute ocellar spots present. Maxillary palpi short and stout. Pronotum decidedly broader, convex and smooth, without sulci; caudal margin transverse with a very weak conve.xity, lateral margins finely but distinctly cingulate. Tegmina lobiform, lateral, widely separated, extending very slightly beyond caudal margin of mesonotum, surface glabrous with hardly a trace of venation, costal margins fineh' but distinctly cingulate. Wings absent. Supraanal plate with a blunt, medio-longitudinal carina, rather weakly produced, lateral free margins beyond cerci verweakly conxex, convergent to the broadhrounded apex. Cerci ery short, lateral margins entire, dorsal surface deplanate. Subgenital plate convex, little produced, with free margin rather weakly convex.
Measurements {in millimeters)
Length of Length of Width of Length of Width of body pronotum pronotum tegmen tegmen
Tryon, North Carolina (9) 10.2-11..8 2,7-2.9 3.6-4 12. 2-13. 6 4-4.4
Brunswick, Georgia ... 11 2.7 3.8 12. i 3.9
Iowa City, Iowa 12.8 3 4.2 13-3 4-6
Mountain Grove, Missouri 12.3 2.8 3.8 13. I 4.3
Waco, Texas (11) 10.1-12.3 2.7-2.9 3.7-3.9 11. 7-12. 3 3.8-4 Raleigh, North Carolina (4) 9.7-10.7 2.9-3 4-3-4 4 17-1. 8 1.4-1.6
Atlanta, Georgia 9.8 3 4.1 1.8 1.6
Austin, Texas 9 2.8 4.1 1.9 1.7
Sabinal, Texas 9.8 2.9 3.9 1.7 1.6
Brownsville, Texas. ... 10,4 3 4 1.8 1.6
Little variation is found in tlie si)ecies, except the striking color differences shown b he males of the extremes of intensi-e and recessive coloration.
Coloration. — cf. (Intensive.) Head shining blackish chestnut brown, ocelli light buff; antennae dark dresden brown. Coxae, limbs, lateral margins of pn^iotum and marginal held of tegmina l)uckthorn brown. Abdomen and remaining portion of pronotum (the transition there not sharjily defined) shining blackish chestnut brown, the latter with a mesal ochraceous area between the 8o NORTH AMERICAN BLATTIDAE
discal sulci. Tegmlna of the same color proximad, translucent; fading toward buckthorn brown distad. This condition is normal in eastern material, showing individual different degrees of intensity in each series. The material from Kansas, Oklahoma and Brownsville, Texas, is about intermediate, while the remaining

Parcoblatta bolliana, Boll's wood cockroach or Boll's wood roach, is a small species of wood cockroach native to the United States, measuring around 11 mm (0.43 in) long.