Diploptera punctata explained

Diploptera punctata, the Pacific beetle cockroach, is a species of cockroach in the family Blaberidae and subfamily Diplopterinae.[1] It is one of the few cockroach species that is viviparous. Adults are chemically defended, having a modified tracheal gland and spiracle on each side which squirts quinones which can poison or discourage a predator.[2]

Life stages

Diploptera punctata has 4 nymph stages, which are wingless. The adult is winged, and the adult male is smaller than the female.[3]

Distribution

Diploptera punctata can be found in Australia, Myanmar, China, Fiji, Hawaii, and India.

Milk

Diploptera punctata produces a nutritionally dense crystalline "milk"[4] to feed their live-born young.[5] [6] [7] [8]

The milk produced by Diploptera punctata is composed of hydrosoluble proteins and provides essential amino acids to the developing embryo such as lysine, leucine and valine.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Diploptera punctata. 10 June 2011. George Beccaloni. David C. Eades. Blattodea Species File.
  2. Roth. Louis M.. Stay. Barbara. 1958-01-01. The occurrence of para-quinones in some arthropods, with emphasis on the quinone-secreting tracheal glands of Diploptera punctata (Blattaria). Journal of Insect Physiology. 1. 4. 305–318. 10.1016/0022-1910(58)90049-0.
  3. Marchal. Elisabeth. Hult. Ekaterina F.. Huang. Juan. Stay. Barbara. Tobe. Stephen S.. 2013-07-01. Diploptera punctata as a model for studying the endocrinology of arthropod reproduction and development. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 26th Conference of European Comparative Endocrinologists (CECE). en. 188. 85–93. 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.04.018. 23644152. 0016-6480.
  4. Williford. Anna. Stay. Barbara. Bhattacharya. Debashish. 2004-03-01. Evolution of a novel function: nutritive milk in the viviparous cockroach, Diploptera punctata. Evolution & Development. 6. 2. 67–77. 10.1111/j.1525-142X.2004.04012.x. 1525-142X. 15009119. 31048064.
  5. Banerjee . Sanchari. Coussens. Nathan. Gallat. François-Xavier. etal. July 2016. Structure of a heterogeneous, glycosylated, lipid-bound, in vivo-grown protein crystal at atomic resolution from the viviparous cockroach Diploptera punctata. IUCrJ. 3. 4. 282–293. 10.1107/S2052252516008903. 27437115. 4937783.
  6. News: Kumar . Chethan . 2016-07-19. Pesky cockroaches give scientists some high-protein food for thought. Times of India. 31 July 2016.
  7. News: Guarino. Ben . 2016-07-26. The case for cockroach milk: The next superfood?. Washington Post. 31 July 2016.
  8. Web site: Cockroach milk is not the next superfood. It could be a lot more important than that . 31 July 2016 .
  9. Ayayee. Paul A.. Keeney. George. Sabree. Zakee L.. Muñoz-Garcia. Agustí. 2017-06-01. Compositional differences among female-associated and embryo-associated microbiota of the viviparous Pacific Beetle cockroach, Diploptera punctata. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. en. 93. 6. 10.1093/femsec/fix052. 28431082. 1574-6941. free.

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