BOSTON -- Geologists at Ohio State University have found the largest-ever complete fossil of a co*ckroach, one that lived 55 million years before the first dinosaurs.
The co*ckroach, along with hundreds of other fossil plants and animals from a coalmine in eastern Ohio, could help scientists better understand the diversity of ancient life and how the Earth's climate has changed throughout history.
The roach lived 300 million years ago, during what geologists call the Carboniferous period, explained Cary Easterday, a master's student in geological sciences at Ohio State. Ohio was a giant tropical swamp then, but this particular site was unusual.
"Normally, we can only hope to find fossils of shell and bones, because they have minerals in them that increase their chances for preservation," Easterday said, "but something unusual about the chemistry of this ancient site preserved organisms without shell or bones with incredible detail."
Easterday presented his findings November 7 at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Boston.
Among features visible in the 3.5-inch long co*ckroach are veins in the insect's wings, and fine bumps covering the wing surface. The roach's legs and antennae, folded around its body, are also evident, as well as mouth parts.
Loren Babco*ck, associate professor of geological sciences and Easterday's advisor, said scientists have only incomplete answers about what caused such extraordinary details to be preserved at the site.
Easterday said the mine first caught scientists' attention because of the plants that were preserved there, including the earliest known conifer in the Appalachian Basin.
He obtained the co*ckroach and other fossils in 1999 with the assistance of Gregory McComas, an avid fossil collector and geology graduate of Youngstown State University in Ohio. McComas discovered the fossil site in 1979, and named it the "7-11 Mine" because it is located at the intersection of Ohio State Routes 7 and 11.
When Easterday compared the fossil co*ckroach from the 7-11 Mine to co*ckroaches living in the tropics today, he found them similar. Though the fossil co*ckroach is about twice as big as the average American roach, some modern roaches in the tropics are known to grow to four inches or bigger.
Since the fossil plants and animals lived at a time when a drought was rapidly drying out their ancient swamp, Babco*ck and Easterday hope further study of the 7-11 site will reveal how these organisms coped with their changing environment.
FAQs
Largest Fossil co*ckroach Found; Site Preserves Incredible Detail. Summary: Geologists at Ohio State University have found the largest-ever complete fossil of a co*ckroach, one that lived 55 million years before the first dinosaurs.
What is the largest roach ever found? ›
A preserved female in the collection of Akira Yokokura of Yamagata, Japan, measures 97 mm (3.8 in) in length and 45 mm (1.75 in) across. The average co*ckroach ranges from 0.24 in-3 in (0.6-7.6 cm) in length.
What is the giant prehistoric roach? ›
Those are roachoids, an evolutionary precursor to co*ckroaches. They are the species that both modern roaches – all 7,000 species of them – and the praying mantis developed from. In fact, they look a lot like a cross between a roach and a mantis. And they were significantly bigger than most modern co*ckroaches.
How big were co*ckroaches in the Carboniferous Period? ›
The Carboniferous is marked by many large species; the first dragonflies, for example, were enormous--with wingspans of 29 inches; the first co*ckroaches measured up to 4" in length.
Where does the biggest co*ckroach in the world live? ›
These co*ckroaches are native to Australia and mostly found in tropical and subtropical parts of Queensland. They are the world's heaviest species of co*ckroach and can weigh up to 30-35 grams and measure up to 7.5-8 cm (3.1 in) in length.
What is the weird giant co*ckroach? ›
It is one of the largest species of co*ckroach in the world—adults grow to be between two and four inches (5.1 and 10.2 centimeters) long! With their thick and waxy exoskeletons, Madagascar hissing co*ckroaches may look like big pests, but they're actually important to the health of the rain forest.
Did there used to exist a giant roach? ›
Apparently giants crawled the wilds, too -- in the form of co*ckroaches. A fossilized roach three and a half inches long, more than twice as big as the average American co*ckroach, has been identified by a geology student at Ohio State University.
How big were co*ckroaches in dinosaur times? ›
Among features visible in the 3.5-inch long co*ckroach are veins in the insect's wings, and fine bumps covering the wing surface. The roach's legs and antennae, folded around its body, are also evident, as well as mouth parts.
What is the giant Hawaiian co*ckroach? ›
American co*ckroaches: At more than two inches long, American co*ckroaches are some of Hawaii's biggest and most common flying roaches. This roach is reddish-brown and has long antennae and a yellow band on the thorax. Note that nymphs have similar characteristics, although they cannot fly.
How big are giant cave co*ckroaches? ›
Giant cave co*ckroaches are one of the largest species of co*ckroach in the world, reaching up to four inches in length.
SIZE: 18 - 30 mm. LIFECYCLE: Egg - nymph - adult (lives for 10-15 months); FEATURES: the female is blackish-brown in colour and round in shape, while the male has a pronotum with a yellowish edge on the front fascia.
Why was Meganeura so big? ›
Another theory suggests that insects that developed in water before becoming terrestrial as adults grew bigger as a way to protect themselves against the high levels of oxygen.
How fast can a co*ckroach run if it was human size? ›
co*ckroaches are very fast!
- A human-sized co*ckroach would be able to run over 100 miles per hour and if a horse could run as fast as a roach it would be able to cover approximately 450 feet per second.
What are co*ckroaches biggest predator? ›
The Natural Predators of Roaches
- Toads and frogs.
- Lizards, such as leopard geckos, bearded dragons, monitor lizards, iguanas and even panther chameleons.
- Certain large species of beetles.
- Certain kinds of parasitoid wasps.
- Entomopathogenic fungi.
There is really no "deadly" co*ckroach. While roaches can carry over 30 kinds of bacteria, 6 kinds of parasitic worms, and 7 other human pathogens, none of them are really capable of harming humans from direct effects alone (e.g., biting).
Why are co*ckroaches so big now? ›
Many insects grow larger when the air around them is more oxygen-rich. That's because bugs breathe through their skin, using a series of tubes called tracheal tubes. When oxygen levels rise, the tubes can be narrow, but still deliver enough oxygen to power big bugs.
How big can roaches get? ›
Adult American co*ckroaches average between 1.4” to 1.6” (35-41mm) in length, but they can grow to exceed 2”. American co*ckroaches are reddish-brown in color with a yellow band that outlines the area behind their head.
How big can a giant co*ckroach get? ›
Rhinoceros co*ckroaches(Macropanesthia rhinoceros), also known as giant burrowing co*ckroaches or litterbugs, are wingless, glossy, dark brown and stout-bodied. These co*ckroaches weigh more than 30 grams each and can exceed 8 centimeters in length.
What is the deadliest roach? ›
The oriental co*ckroach is considered one of the most dangerous co*ckroaches in terms of bacteria and pathogens, as their strong drive toward water often leads them to sewers and other sources of bacteria-ridden water. They also love eating garbage and decomposing food.
Why am I seeing big roaches all of a sudden? ›
Some factors that can attract co*ckroaches to clean houses include: Moisture. Leaking sinks and appliances create conditions in which roaches thrive, since they offer a readily available source of water as well as the warm, sheltered spaces that provide the ideal harborage for co*ckroach nests. Untidy landscaping.
