Gromphadorhina sp.

[Toff202]

Some pictures of my Gromphadorhina sp. (Madagascan hissing cockroaches). I call them G. sp. because they're probably hybrids, not pure G. portentosa.

 

[Hisserdude]

Some pictures of my Gromphadorhina sp. (Madagascan hissing cockroaches). I call them G. sp. because they're probably hybrids, not pure G. portentosa.

Yes, these are most likely hybrids, glad people are starting to label them as such! They are very nice, love the pure black ones!

 

[pannaking22]

Nice hissers you have there!

 

[pannaking22]

Yes, these are most likely hybrids, glad people are starting to label them as such! They are very nice, love the pure black ones!

Out of curiosity, how does one tell if it's a pure G. portentosa or not?

 

[Tenevanica]

Out of curiosity, how does one tell if it's a pure G. portentosa or not?

The "true" hisser has very little variation in its populations. They take on the same color and pronotum shape all the time. They have very crisp orange - tan abdomens with little to no striping.

The true hisser: (image taken from roachcrossing)

 

[Hisserdude]

Out of curiosity, how does one tell if it's a pure G. portentosa or not?

Mostly by coloration. All Gromphadorhina genitalia seem to be the same, so that is not a good method of telling what species is what. Kyle says the pure hissers "tend to be solidly patterned with barely any striping and crisp, orange to red-orange abdomens", unlike most hybrid strains.

 

[Hisserdude]

The "true" hisser has very little variation in its populations. They take on the same color and pronotum shape all the time. They have very crisp orange - tan abdomens with little to no striping.

The true hisser: (image taken from roachcrossing)

Omg, yet again you have beat me by mere minutes, @Tenevanica.

 

[Tenevanica]

Omg, yet again you have beat me by mere minutes, @Tenevanica.

You'll have to try harder than that next time @Hisserdude!

 

[Hisserdude]

You'll have to try harder than that next time @Hisserdude!

Duly noted. Next time I'll be ready, so watch out!

 

[pannaking22]

Very neat, thank you both @Tenevanica and @Hisserdude for the answers! I'll have to check the huge secret colony we have here at the university. It has just been sitting in a back room for years and years, so I wonder if it's a pure line or not.

 

[Tenevanica]

Very neat, thank you both @Tenevanica and @Hisserdude for the answers! I'll have to check the huge secret colony we have here at the university. It has just been sitting in a back room for years and years, so I wonder if it's a pure line or not.

You have a hisser colony just sitting there? It's been there for years without any maintenance? I guess they can survive a nuclear winter, but that's just crazy.
That also reminds me that I'm at a University, and know some people at the entomology department. I've never thought to ask what they've got back there. (Not that they're likely to let an under-grad take anything) Maybe I could get something interesting into the hobby.

 

[pannaking22]

You have a hisser colony just sitting there? It's been there for years without any maintenance? I guess they can survive a nuclear winter, but that's just crazy.
That also reminds me that I'm at a University, and know some people at the entomology department. I've never thought to ask what they've got back there. (Not that they're likely to let an under-grad take anything) Maybe I could get something interesting into the hobby.

It's a regularly maintained colony, but it's hidden from the public eye for the most part (unless you have a key to the room). It's two garbage cans worth of hissers lol.

 

[Tenevanica]

It's a regularly maintained colony, but it's hidden from the public eye for the most part (unless you have a key to the room). It's two garbage cans worth of hissers lol.

Ok, that makes much more sense XD

 

[Hisserdude]

Very neat, thank you both @Tenevanica and @Hisserdude for the answers! I'll have to check the huge secret colony we have here at the university. It has just been sitting in a back room for years and years, so I wonder if it's a pure line or not.

It may be pure, depending on how old the colony is. That would be nice!

You have a hisser colony just sitting there? It's been there for years without any maintenance? I guess they can survive a nuclear winter, but that's just crazy.
That also reminds me that I'm at a University, and know some people at the entomology department. I've never thought to ask what they've got back there. (Not that they're likely to let an under-grad take anything) Maybe I could get something interesting into the hobby.

You definitely should ask around, it is always nice to get some new species in the hobby!