Allatostatins (ASTs) are a class of regulatory neuropeptides, with diverse functions, found in an array of invertebrate phyla. ASTs have complex gene structure, in which individual ASTs are cleaved from a precursor peptide. Little is known about the molecular evolution of AST structure and function, even in extensively studied groups such as cockroaches. This paper presents the application of a...

The jewel wasp stings cockroaches and injects venom into their cerebral ganglia, namely the subesophageal ganglion (SOG) and supraesophageal ganglion (SupOG). The venom induces a long-term hypokinetic state, during which the stung cockroach shows little or no spontaneous walking. It was shown that venom injection to the SOG reduces neuronal activity, thereby suggesting a similar effect of venom...

The flexibility of insect adhesive pads is crucial for their ability to attach on rough surfaces. Here, we used transparent substrates with micropillars to test in adult cockroaches (Nauphoeta cinerea) whether and how the stiffness of smooth adhesive pads changes when shear forces are applied, and whether the insect's age has any influence. We found that during pulls towards the body, the pad's...

We propose and study game-theoretic versions of independence in graphs. The games are played by two players the aggressor and the defender taking alternate moves on a graph G with tokens located on vertices from an independent set of G. A move of the aggressor is to select a vertex v of G. A move of the defender is to move tokens located on vertices in NG(v) each along one incident edge. The go...

The reasons why many insects breathe discontinuously at rest are poorly understood and hotly debated. Three adaptive hypotheses attempt to explain the significance of these discontinuous gas exchange cycles (DGCs), whether it be to save water, to facilitate gas exchange in underground environments or to limit oxidative damage. Comparative studies favour the water saving hypothesis and mechanist...

Understanding the origin and diversification of organisms requires a good phylogenetic estimate of their age and diversification rates. This estimate can be difficult to obtain when samples are limited and fossil records are disputed, as in Dictyoptera. To choose among competing hypotheses of origin for dictyopteran suborders, we root a phylogenetic analysis (~800 taxa, 10 kbp) within a large s...

Some natural alkaloids, e.g. capsaicin and camphor, are known to induce a desensitization state, causing insensitivity to pain or noxious temperatures in mammals by acting on TRP receptors. Our research, for the first time, demonstrated that a phenomenon of pharmacological blockade of heat sensitivity may operate in American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L.). We studied the escape reaction ...

Earlier observations had suggested that cockroaches might show multiple patterns of leg coordination, or gaits, but these were not followed by detailed behavioral or kinematic measurements that would allow a definite conclusion. We measured the walking speeds of cockroaches exploring a large arena and found that the body movements tended to cluster at one of two preferred speeds, either very sl...

Despite more than half a century of research, the evolutionary origin of termites remains unresolved [1] [2] [3]. A clear picture of termite ancestry is crucial for understanding how these insects evolved eusociality, particularly because they lack the haplodiploid genetic system associated with eusocial evolution in bees, ants, wasps and thrips [4] [5]. Termites, together with cockroaches and ...

The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition of eight invertebrate species and evaluate their suitability as alternative prey. The species selected were rusty red cockroaches (Blatta lateralis), six-spotted cockroaches (Eublaberus distanti), Madagascar hissing cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa), fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), false katydids (Microcentrum rhombifo...