The Symbiotic Relationship Between Cockroaches and Bacteria

Cockroaches have an important symbiotic relationship with other organisms. Unlike termites, which have lost their symbiont, cockroaches have adapted to live in a symbiotic relationship with many different species. These organisms are known as bacteroids, and they live within the fat body of the cockroach. Bacteriaoids are vital to the health of the cockroach, as they provide all of its essential nutrients.

Cockroaches have open circulatory systems, and they breathe through small holes in their body segments. They do not require a head to breathe, and can survive for up to a week without one. Without a water source, they will eventually die of dehydration. Some roaches even use their wings to stabilize themselves when they jump.

Cockroaches shed their cuticles during molting and when they die, and these shed cockroaches can leave behind a significant amount of dust in a room. This dust may contain antigens that cause childhood asthma. Since children have immature immune systems, they are prone to being overly sensitive to these germs.

In addition to the egg-laying process, cockroaches need to mat only once in order to produce up to three batches of fertilized eggs in succession. This is possible because they store the sperm they need in an internal storage location and use them when needed. Female cockroaches also have paired ovaries, which are composed of ovarioles – strings of maturing oocytes. These oocytes can even develop tumors.