| American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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The American Cockroach is the largest of common cockroaches. Although called “American”, this species originates from tropical Africa. Periplaneta americana had been introduced to other continents through human agency, arriving in North America and Europe as early as XVII century; it is now nearly cosmopolitan in distribution. The American Cockroach often inhabits human dwellings, and is considered a pest. This individual was photographed aboard a ship in the Gulf of Mexico.
