Arenivaga tonkawa
This record describes Arenivaga tonkawa (species). Recorded family: Corydiidae. Recorded order: Blattodea.
Identification and Appearance
Arenivaga tonkawa, the tonkawa sand cockroach, is a species of cockroach in the family Corydiidae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Wikipedia reference for Arenivaga tonkawa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arenivaga tonkawa.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Blattodea (Cockroaches and Termites)
- Superfamily
- Corydioidea
- Family
- Corydiidae (Sand Cockroaches)
- Subfamily
- Corydiinae
- Genus
- Arenivaga
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
can be found in abandoned Atta texana tunnels and in chambers filled with nest refuse.
Geographic Range
TX-OK-CO / Mex. , (BG data)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: The Tonkawa Indians once inhabited the region where this species occurs. (Hebard 1920)
About Cockroaches and Termites: the wider group
Order-level background for Blattodea, the group containing Arenivaga tonkawa. 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 Arenivaga tonkawa (3)
Photo credits: (c) Jay Keller, all rights reserved, uploaded by Jay Keller | Contributed by v belov; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn