Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
Gromphadorhina portentosa
Animals on display may vary.
Diet
Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are scavengers. They feed mainly on fallen fruit and decaying plant matter, and occasionally on dead animals and insects smaller than themselves.
Average lifespan
Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches usually live for 2 to 5 years.
Size
Adults usually measure 5 to 7.5 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) in length, making them one of the largest cockroach species in the world.
Weight
Adult Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches can weigh up to about 23 grams (0.8 ounces).
About
Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are found only on the island of Madagascar, off the southeast coast of Africa. They live on the floor of tropical lowland forests, hiding in leaf litter and under rotting logs during the day. Unlike most cockroaches, they are not household pests and do not live in people’s homes.
Size and behavior
Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are wingless and nocturnal. Pads and tiny hooks on their feet let them climb smooth surfaces, even glass. Males have large horns behind their head, which they use to ram and shove rivals, while females have smaller bumps. Females carry their eggs inside their body and give birth to live young, sometimes as many as 60 nymphs at a time.
Diet and nutrition
Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches search the forest floor at night for fallen fruit and rotting plants. By breaking down this decaying material, they act as nature’s recyclers, returning nutrients to the soil. In turn, they are an important food source for animals such as tenrecs, ground-feeding birds and spiders.
Tropical Rainforest
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Conservation status
Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are not currently considered threatened. Because they live only in Madagascar, the ongoing loss and fragmentation of the island’s forests is a potential threat to wild populations.
Fun fact
Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches hiss by forcing air out through tiny breathing holes along their body, called spiracles. They use different hisses to warn off predators, court a mate and settle fights, and the winner of a fight usually hisses more than the loser.
Common Name: Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
Also known as: N/A
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