The Australian rhinoceros cockroach is more accurately known as the giant burrowing cockroach or rhinoceros cockroach, with the scientific name Macropanesthia rhinoceros.
Book novelties:
Prioninae of the World I.
Cerambycidae of the Western Paleartic I.
It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Queensland, Australia.
Australian rhinoceros cockroach
Key facts about this species include:
It is the world’s heaviest cockroach, weighing up to 30–35 grams and measuring about 7.5–8 cm (3.1 inches) in length.
Unlike many other cockroaches, it does not have wings and therefore cannot fly.
It is not considered a pest; instead, it plays an important ecological role by consuming dead leaves, especially eucalyptus, and recycling nutrients in the soil.
The giant burrowing cockroach digs permanent burrows in the soil, sometimes up to 1 meter deep, where it lives and feeds on collected dry leaf litter.
It is nocturnal and well adapted for digging, using its strong body and spiny legs.
Adult males and females can be distinguished by the size of the “scoop” on their pronotum (the plate covering the thorax), with males having a more pronounced scoop.
Lifespan can be up to 10 years in captivity.
The species is popular as a pet in Australia, especially in Brisbane.
This cockroach is quite different from the Australian cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae), which is a common flying pest found in warm, humid environments worldwide.
In summary, the Australian rhinoceros cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) is a large, heavy, wingless, burrowing cockroach native to Queensland, Australia, important for nutrient recycling and popular as a pet, but it does not fly and is not a pest species.
