The document discusses the order Dictyoptera, which includes cockroaches and mantids. It notes that Dictyoptera mainly occur in tropical and subtropical regions, there are over 5000 species, and they fall under the two suborders Blattodea and Mantodea. Key characteristics include a hypognathous head with multi-segmented antennae, mandibulate biting mouthparts, well-developed compound eyes, 10 visible abdominal segments, and either fully developed or shortened wings. It provides details on features of cockroaches like hiding in cracks and being omnivorous, and of mantids like their predatory nature and raptorial forelegs. It concludes with classifications of Dictyoptera
2. • Mainly occur in tropical and subtropical
regions
• >5000 spp.
• Members fall under two suborders viz.,
• Blattodea and Mantodea
• Small to large terrestrial insects
• Several spp. of cockroaches are
cosmopolitan pests
• Hypognathous with multi-segmented
filiform antenna
• Mouth parts mandibulate biting type –
mandibles are strong and toothed
• Compound eyes well developed. Reduced in
few spp.
Dictyoptera
Cockroach and Mantids
3. Dictyoptera
Thorax• Pronotum in blattodea large shield like
& usually cover the head.
• In mantodea it is elongate do not
cover the head
• Meso and meta are similar
• Legs unmodified & similar in
blattodea.
• In mantodea fore legs raptorial – coxa
elongated, femor thickly spinose &
grooved
• Tarsi 5 segmented in both groups
• Wings fully developed or shortened or
absent. Forewings moderately
sclerotized – tegmina.
• Hind wings membranous with large
anal area
• Wing venation primitive with large no.
of cross veins
4. Dictyoptera
Abdomen• With 10 visible segments
• 11th reduced and represented by
subdivided sternum paraproct and
short multisegmented cerci
• 7th sternum of ♀ and 9th sternum of ♂
is enlarged – subgenital plate which
conceals terminal abdominal
structures
• 9th sternum of ♂ bears a pair of styli
• Ovipositor reduced and concealed
• Lay the eggs in protective coat called
ootheca
5. Blattodea• Primarily nocturnal & ground dwelling
insects
• Hide in cracks & crevices, under stones,
rotting logs, decaying vegetation
• Few spp. live on foliage and diurnal
• Most of them live humid environment
• Some spp found in deserts and few spp. live
in caves and ant nests
• Most of them are ominvorous – feed on
variety of sugary and starchy foods.
• Also feed on dean animals. Few spp feed on
rotting wood
• Four types of reproduction
– Oviparity,
– Ovoviviparity,
– Viviparity
6. Mantodea
Characters
• Lead solitary life
• Terrestrial, seen on shrubs, tress and other
vegetation
• Keep raptorial fore legs raised together in
front – praying mantids or soothsayer
• Highly predaceous, feed on variety of
insects
• Females attack and feed males before or
during copulation
• Eggs are laid in a mass of frothy material
that hardens to form ootheca
• Head is freely mobile
• 3 to 12 nymphal instars.
• Lifecycle completed in one year
7. Classification
DICTYOPTERA
BLATTODEA
Head covered with large
shield like pronotum
fenestrae
All legs identical
Gizzard strongly dentate
MANTODEA
Head not covered with
pronotum
Three ocelli present
Fore legs raptorial
Gizzard not well eveloped
8. BLATTODEA
Superfamily -
Ployphagoidea
Family:
1. Polyphgidae
2. Cryptocercidae
Superfamily - Blattoidea
Family:
1. Blattidae
2. Blatellidae
3. Blaberidae
Blattidae
1. Periplaneta americana –
American cockroach
2. P.australasiae – Australian
cockroach
3. P.fuliginosa – Smoke brown
cockroach
Superfamily –
Mantoidea
Family:
1. Amorphoscelida
e
2. Mantidae