Insect
Indian Domino Cockroach
Therea petiverianaAlso known as Seven-Spotted Cockroach, Domino Cockroach, Desert Cockroach
Indian domino cockroaches stand out among roaches with their round silhouette and velvety black elytra patterned with seven bright white spots, a striking case of Batesian mimicry that copies noxious ground beetles. Spending the sunniest hours buried beneath loose sand or deep leaf litter, they emerge at twilight to scuttle across the scrub floor in search of fallen foliage and organic detritus. Females lay tough, purse-shaped oothecae directly into the substrate, where nymphs burrow and mature over several months without wings.
CrepuscularMimicBurrowing
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyDecaying leaves, Fallen fruit, Soil fungi
Predators
- Garden lizards
- Babblers
- Shrews
ThreatsHabitat loss from agriculture, pesticide exposure, and excessive collection for the pet trade
HabitatsArid scrub forests, dry deciduous woodlands, and sandy soil under leaf litter
Life span2–4 years (including nymph stages)
Classification
- OrderBlattodea
- FamilyCorydiidae
- GenusTherea
- SpeciesTherea petiveriana
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Harmless and docile; safe to observe at close range.
Responsible observation
- Look beneath leaf litter: Gently sift through dried leaves and topsoil near scrub margins around dusk to find hiding adults.
- Handle gently: If moving one out of a footpath, scoop it from beneath as its velvety body is easily bruised by pinching.
Mimic (c) Ameet Mandavia, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ameet Mandavia · cc-by
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