How Does a Cockroach Breathe?
The cockroach’s respiratory system consists of a network of tubes and spiracles. These tubes carry air from spiracles to tissues throughout the body. The cockroach has no brain, nose, or mouth to regulate or direct their breathing. It also does not feel pain or other emotions.
Roaches do not breathe through their mouths, but instead through thorax openings called spiracles. These spiracles distribute oxygen throughout the insect’s body, which helps them survive. The thorax also has openings called rachaces, which enclose air spaces and allow oxygen to be carried throughout the insect.
Cockroaches are distantly related to other insects, crustaceans, and arthropods. The Pancrustacean phylogeny supports their status as a sister group of the Hexapoda. However, cockroaches differ in their physiology and reproductive cycle.
Cockroaches are not very clean creatures. They shed their skins when they molt or die. This debris can end up in a room. This debris can contain bacteria and molds that are harmful to humans. Cockroaches rarely bite humans. However, when they do bite, they will most likely eat them.