Florida Sand Cockroach
Arenivaga floridensis
This record describes Arenivaga floridensis (species). Recorded family: Corydiidae. Recorded order: Blattodea.
Identification and Appearance
Wikipedia reference for Arenivaga floridensis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arenivaga_floridensis.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Blattodea (Cockroaches and Termites)
- Superfamily
- Corydioidea
- Family
- Corydiidae
- Subfamily
- Corydiinae
- Genus
- Arenivaga
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Open scrub and sandhill with bare sand patches
Geographic Range
FL ; only Arenivaga east of TX
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Arenivaga floridensis Caudell 1918
About Cockroaches and Termites: the wider group
Order-level background for Blattodea, the group containing Arenivaga floridensis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Blattodea includes ~4,600 cockroach species and ~3,000 termite species. Only about 30 cockroach species are associated with human habitats - less than 1% of all species.
Ecological role of the group
Termites contribute ~40% of soil arthropod biomass globally, far exceeding ants at ~10%. Cockroaches are ancient insects dating back 320 million years and are critical decomposers in tropical forest ecosystems, recycling leaf litter and dead wood.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Termites cause $5-30 billion in damage to structures in the U.S. annually. They damage approximately 600,000 American homes each year, with average repair costs of $3,000-$17,000. A subterranean termite colony can consume one pound of wood per day.
Recorded sources for this group: USDA, Orkin, Today's Homeowner, PNAS soil biomass study. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Florida Sand Cockroach (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Alan Jeon; Additional contributions by v belov , metrioptera