Polyphaga saussurei (Saussure's Giant Sand Roach)

Polyphaga saussurei

(Saussure's Giant Sand Roach)

Polyphaga saussurei (Saussure's Giant Sand Roach) is a rotund Blattodean that crawls across Central/Southern Asia and into the Northeastern Caucasus. It is named after the late mineralogist, taxonomist, and entomologist, Henri de Saussure. Nymphs of this species start out donning a hay yellow color with ornate patterning and gradually get darker and darker until they are nearly black with crimson highlights. At this point, they have dwarfed all U.S members of their family, Corydiidae, by a wide margin. What is not shared by the transcontinental cousins in size, however, is shared in habitat preference. Just like their smaller relatives, these cockroaches often take refuge within the burrows of other, larger desert dwellers (such as reptiles and mammals). That is not where its compelling nature ends. Females are able to perform one of the most amazing acts in the animal kingdom. If there are no males present for fertilization, they can utilize a reproductive ability known as parthenogenesis to produce young completely of their own accord!

Adult Size - Female (45 mm)

Climbing Ability - None

Flying Ability - None

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Enclosure

P.saussurei aren't particularly crowding sensitive, but are large, so their enclosure should have some space. 

Ventilation level - High

Hides - Not Necessary

Barrier/Secure Lid - Not necessary

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Substrate

P.saussurei is well suited to fine coconut fiber. This substrate mimics the powdery material at the bottom of the rodent/reptile burrows that they naturally inhabit. Chunky ingredients can inhibit the burrowing activity of young nymphs.

Type - Fine coconut fiber

Moisture level - Dry w/ 1 moist corner

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Food

P.saussurei don't accept many of the foods that the average roach does. They seem to do best feeding on proteinaceous pet foods and dead hardwood leaves.

Type - Proteinaceous pet foods & dead hardwood leaves

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Temperature

P.saussurei can be kept into the high 60s, but grows fastest at warmer temperatures. Oothecae can be hatched quickest if they are given a mild diapause, followed by a warm-up period. Additional experimentation is required to produce ideal incubation times and temperatures.

Range - 68 F to 85 F