DESERT COCKROACHES
Agis orientalis
Northern Kenya.—In desert-grass and thorn-bush country; scattered, dry tufts of grasses interspersed among acacia bush and scattered trees (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Arenivaga apacha
U.S.A.—Inhabits desert regions of the Southwest, has been found in nests of wood rats (Hebard, 1917).
Arenivaga bolliana
U.S.A.—On gravelly hillocks, in scattered scrub, and in the nests of wood rats in Texas. It is a desert inhabitant in the Southwest (Hebard, 1917; 1943a).
Arenivaga erratica
U.S.A.—Inhabits desert regions of the Southwest (Hebard, 1917). In Arizona it has been found in rodent burrows in the desert (Vorhies and Taylor, 1922; Ball et al., 1942).
Arenivaga roseni
Turkmen S.S.R.—Predominantly found in burrows in sand; all stages "swim" in sand and loess dust (Vlasov and Miram, 1937).
Blattella vaga
Arizona.—Found in small numbers on the dry desert (Flock, 1941a).
Compsodes schwarzi
U.S.A.—Occurs in the Southwest where it is confined to the desert and semidesert mountainous areas, rarely being found on the desert floor (Hebard, 1917). Taken in an ant nest in mountains of Arizona (Ball et al., 1942).
Cyrtotria capucina
Eastern Africa.—"Commonly met with under débris, the apterous females being most frequent." Thorn-bush country (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Derocalymma lampyrina
Northern Kenya.—Very abundant; both sexes under débris in desert-grass and thorn-bush country (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Derocalymma porcellio
Northern Kenya.—Taken in upland grassland and bush (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Deropeltis autraniana
Northern Kenya.—In thorn-bush country (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Deropeltis melanophila
Northern Kenya.—"Very commonly found at the base of tufts of grass and other débris, the apterous female particularly in the latter situation"; in upland grassland near forest; in thorn-bush country (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Deropeltis nigrita
Northern Kenya.—Taken in upland grassland and bush (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Eremoblatta subdiaphana
U.S.A.—Apparently found in greatest abundance in the extreme desert conditions of the southwestern United States (Hebard, 1917). Two small groups of males were observed in the midst of the sandy desert north of Yuma, Ariz.; these insects alternately flew and ran over the sand in the hot sun while headed in a southwesterly direction (Wheeler, 1911).
Euandroblatta palpalis
Northern Kenya.—In desert-grass and thorn-bush country (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Heterogamodes rugosa
Northern Kenya.—"All from desert grass and thorn bush (on sand)." It was stated (under discussion of Tivia fulva) that Heterogamodes females live more or less buried in the sand (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Namablatta bitaeniata
Southwestern Africa.—Limited in distribution to the more arid portions, being peculiar to extreme desert conditions (Rehn, 1937).
Nauphoeta punctipennis
Northern Kenya.—In desert grass and thorn bush; "probably the commonest of all the medium-sized cockroaches occurring in the area under discussion, coming very freely to light" (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Parcoblatta desertae
U.S.A.—In the desert and semidesert mountainous areas of the Southwest; it is rarely found on the desert floor (Hebard, 1917). Found under boulder on bare desert (Rehn and Hebard, 1909).
Polyphaga aegyptiaca
Caucasus.—The wingless female was found buried in sand and dust (Burr, 1913).
Turkmen S.S.R.—Although this species is secondarily encountered in dwellings and courtyards, it is a very characteristic insect of the Trans-Caspian deserts; the females are encountered fairly frequently as inhabitants of sand, where they run slowly over the surface, or dig themselves into the sand to continue their forward motion not far below the surface (Fausek, 1906). Uvarov (in Chopard, 1929b) indicated that females of this genus are found in various desert localities, particularly where vegetative debris occurs, but they are not strictly attached to sandy terrain.
Polyphaga indica
Turkmen S.S.R.—This species prefers sandy soils where the nymphs, alate males, and wingless females "swim" readily through the sand; they can also be found in the burrows of desert animals (Vlasov and Miram, 1937).
Polyphaga saussurei
Turkmen S.S.R.—Its principal habitats are rodent burrows in loess dust and burrows of the desert turtle (Vlasov and Miram, 1937).
Supella hottentotta
Northern Kenya.—Taken in bushes by dry river bed and in desert-grass and thorn-bush country at several stations (Kevan and Chopard, 1954). " ... taken with light at night running on bark of a large acacia tree" (Rehn, 1947).
Symploce kevani
Northern Kenya.—In desert grass and thorn-bush country (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Theganopteryx straminea
Northern Kenya.—Taken at three stations in desert grass and thorn bush (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Tivia brunnea
Northern Kenya.—In open sandy, riverine bush (scanty ground cover among acacia trees and doum palms) (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Tivia fulva
Northern Kenya.—In desert grass and thorn bush; distributed in semidesert areas south of Sahara; the apterous females probably live buried in sand (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).
Tivia obscura
Northern Kenya.—In desert grass and thorn bush (Kevan and Chopard, 1954).