small; long-legged delicate appearance; males may be fully winged or short-winged; females apterous; males lack tergal gland but may possess a glant on the fourth abdominal tergite; subterranean, cave-dwelling and terrestrial species known.
Cave Cockroaches
Nocticolidae
(after Rentz 2014): Very small and pale white yellow. Males, if fully. winged with both fore and hind wings membranous and with fine hairs; veins unbranched and reduced in numbers; hind wings vestigial or absent; females without wings.
The Nocticolidae is a small family of cockroaches and many of these live in caves or other subterranean habitats. They are often cave adapted, i.e. lack eyes and/or wings, have a light colouration and comparatively long legs. A single genus, Nocticola, occurs on continental Australia, with Metanocticola occuring on Christmas Island only.
Publications
Rentz D (2014): A guide to the cockroaches of Australia. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood. 318
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