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Two Female Roaches Mating With Each Other

Started By drtrmiller , May 27 2015 5:10 PM

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#1 Offline drtrmiller - Posted May 27 2015 - 5:10 PM

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I am observing two female roaches which are coupling...

I can confirm they are both female, because I have observed each of them deliver multiple egg cases over the past 9+ months, which have given birth to dozens of nymphs in this same setup. They have not had access to any males in that time, but were, I assume, fertilized by one or more males when I caught them 9+ months ago.

Any explanation for this behavior?

Edited by drtrmiller, May 27 2015 - 5:11 PM.

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#2 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted May 27 2015 - 5:23 PM

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I have heard of this happening in roaches before, although it has always been between males. Same-sex pairing is also quite common in termites, according to some old studies.

Also, many cockroaches are facultative parthenogens, albeit with low offspring survival rates, so that could explain how these females produced egg cases without access to males.

Edited by Myrmicinae, May 27 2015 - 5:25 PM.