STRUCTURAL ORGANISATION IN ANIMALS 111 112 BIOLOGY

Earthworms are known as ‘friends of farmers’ because they make Head is triangular in shape and lies anteriorly at right angles to the
burrows in the soil and make it porous which helps in respiration and longitudinal body axis. It is formed by the fusion of six segments and
penetration of the developing plant roots. The process of increasing fertility shows great mobility in all directions due to flexible neck (Figure 7.15).
of soil by the earthworms is called vermicomposting. They are also used The head capsule bears a pair of compound eyes. A pair of thread like
as bait in game fishing. antennae arise from membranous sockets lying in front of eyes. Antennae
have sensory receptors that help in monitoring the environment. Anterior
end of the head bears appendages forming biting and chewing type of
7.4 COCKROACH mouth parts. The mouthparts consisting of a labrum (upper lip), a pair
of mandibles, a pair of maxillae and a labium (lower lip). A median flexible
Cockroaches are brown or black bodied animals that are included in
lobe, acting as tongue (hypopharynx), lies within the cavity enclosed by
class Insecta of Phylum Arthropoda. Bright yellow, red and green coloured
the mouthparts (Figure 7.15b). Thorax consists of three parts – prothorax,
cockroaches have also been reported in tropical regions. Their size ranges
mesothorax and metathorax. The head is connected with thorax by a
from ¼ inches to 3 inches (0.6-7.6 cm) and have long antenna, legs and
short extension of the prothorax known as the neck. Each thoracic segment
flat extension of the upper body wall that conceals head. They are bears a pair of walking legs. The first pair of wings arises from mesothorax
nocturnal omnivores that live in damp places throughout the world. They and the second pair from metathorax. Forewings (mesothoracic) called
have become residents of human homes and thus are serious pests and tegmina are opaque dark and leathery and cover the hind wings when at
vectors of several diseases. rest. The hind wings are transparent, membranous and are used in flight.
The abdomen in both males and females consists of 10 segments. In
7.4.1 Morphology females, the 7th sternum is boat shaped and together with the 8th and 9th
The adults of the common species of cockroach, Periplaneta americana sterna forms a brood or genital pouch whose anterior part contains female
are about 34-53 mm long with wings that extend beyond the tip of the gonopore, spermathecal pores and collateral glands. In males, genital pouch
abdomen in males. The body of the cockroach is segmented and divisible or chamber lies at the hind end of abdomen bounded dorsally by 9th and
into three distinct regions – head, thorax and abdomen (Figure 7.14). 10th terga and ventrally by the 9th sternum. It contains dorsal anus, ventral
The entire body is covered by a hard chitinous exoskeleton (brown in male genital pore and gonapophysis. Males bear a pair of short, thread-
colour). In each segment, exoskeleton has hardened plates called sclerites like anal styles which are absent in females. In both sexes, the 10th segment
(tergites dorsally and sternites ventrally) that are joined to each other by bears a pair of jointed filamentous structures called anal cerci.
a thin and flexible articular membrane (arthrodial membrane).
Ocellus
Compound eye
Labrum
Grinding
region
Incising
Mandible region
Mandible

Hypopharynx

Maxilla

Mandible

Labrum

Maxilla Maxilla
Labium
(a) Labium
(b)
Figure 7.14 External features of cockroach Figure 7.15 Head region of cockroach : (a) parts of head region (b) mouth parts

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 STRUCTURAL ORGANISATION IN ANIMALS 113 114 BIOLOGY

7.4.2 Anatomy Salivary gland

Pharynx opening of the spiracles is regulated by the sphincters. Exchange of gases
take place at the tracheoles by diffusion.
The alimentary canal present in the body cavity
Salivary Excretion is performed by Malpighian tubules. Each tubule is lined
is divided into three regions: foregut, midgut
reservoir by glandular and ciliated cells. They absorb nitrogenous waste products
and hindgut (Figure 7.16). The mouth opens
Oesophagus and convert them into uric acid which is excreted out through the hindgut.
into a short tubular pharynx, leading to a
Therefore, this insect is called uricotelic. In addition, the fat body,
narrow tubular passage called oesophagus.
nephrocytes and urecose glands also help in excretion.
This in turn opens into a sac like structure Crop
The nervous system of cockroach consists of a series of fused,
called crop used for storing of food. The crop
Gizzard segmentally arranged ganglia joined by paired longitudinal connectives
is followed by gizzard or proventriculus. It has
on the ventral side. Three ganglia lie in the thorax, and six in the abdomen.
an outer layer of thick circular muscles and
Hepatic caeca The nervous system of cockroach is spread throughout the body. The
thick inner cuticle forming six highly chitinous
head holds a bit of a nervous system while the rest is situated along the
plate called teeth. Gizzard helps in grinding the Mesenteron ventral (belly-side) part of its body. So, now you understand that if the
food particles. The entire foregut is lined by or midgut
head of a cockroach is cut off, it will still live for as long as one week. In
cuticle. A ring of 6-8 blind tubules called Malpighian the head region, the brain is represented by supra-oesophageal ganglion
hepatic or gastric caecae is present at the tubules
Rectum which supplies nerves to antennae and compound eyes. In cockroach,
junction of foregut and midgut, which secrete Ileum the sense organs are antennae, eyes, maxillary palps, labial palps, anal
digestive juice. At the junction of midgut and cerci, etc. The compound eyes are situated at the dorsal surface of the
hindgut is present another ring of 100-150 Colon
head. Each eye consists of about 2000 hexagonal ommatidia
yellow coloured thin filamentous Malpighian (sing.: ommatidium). With the help of several ommatidia, a cockroach can
Figure 7.16 Alimentary canal of cockroach
tubules. They help in removal of excretory receive several images of an object. This kind of vision is known as mosaic
products from haemolymph. The hindgut is vision with more sensitivity but less resolution, being common during
broader than midgut and is differentiated into night (hence called nocturnal vision).
ileum, colon and rectum. The rectum opens Anterior aorta Cockroaches are dioecious and both sexes have well developed
out through anus. reproductive organs (Figure 7.18). Male reproductive system consists of
Blood vascular system of cockroach is an a pair of testes one lying on each lateral side in the 4th -6th abdominal
open type (Figure 7.17). Blood vessels are segments. From each testis arises a thin vas deferens, which opens into
Alary muscles
poorly developed and open into space ejaculatory duct through seminal vesicle. The ejaculatory duct opens into
(haemocoel). Visceral organs located in the male gonopore situated ventral to anus. A characteristic mushroom-
haemocoel are bathed in blood (haemolymph). shaped gland is present in the 6th-7th abdominal segments which functions
The haemolymph is composed of colourless as an accessory reproductive gland. The external genitalia are represented
plasma and haemocytes. Heart of cockroach by male gonapophysis or phallomere (chitinous asymmetrical structures,
consists of elongated muscular tube lying surrounding the male gonopore). The sperms are stored in the seminal
along mid dorsal line of thorax and abdomen. vesicles and are glued together in the form of bundles called
It is differentiated into funnel shaped chambers spermatophores which are discharged during copulation. The female
with ostia on either side. Blood from sinuses reproductive sysytem consists of two large ovaries, lying laterally in the
enter heart through ostia and is pumped Chambers
2nd – 6th abdominal segments. Each ovary is formed of a group of eight
of heart
anteriorly to sinuses again. ovarian tubules or ovarioles, containing a chain of developing ova.
The respiratory system consists of a Oviducts of each ovary unite into a single median oviduct (also called
network of trachea, that open through 10 pairs vagina) which opens into the genital chamber. A pair of spermatheca is
of small holes called spiracles present on the present in the 6th segment which opens into the genital chamber.
lateral side of the body. Thin branching tubes Sperms are transferred through spermatophores. Their fertilised eggs
(tracheal tubes subdivided into tracheoles) are encased in capsules called oothecae. Ootheca is a dark reddish to
carry oxygen from the air to all the parts. The Figure 7.17 Open circulatory system of cockroach blackish brown capsule, about 3/8" (8 mm) long. They are dropped or

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Testis

Phallic gland
Small tubules
Long tubules

Seminal vesicle
Vas deferens
Ejaculatory duct
Right phallomere
Ventral phallomere
Anal cercus
Caudal style
Left phallomere Pseudopenis
Titillator (a)

Ovary

Oviduct
Spermatheca
Common oviduct
or vagina

Collaterial glands

Genital chamber

gonapophyses
(b)
Vestibulum ] Genital
pouch

Figure 7.18 Reproductive system of cockroach : (a) male (b) female

glued to a suitable surface, usually in a crack or crevice of high relative

humidity near a food source. On an average, females produce 9-10
oothecae, each containing 14-16 eggs. The development of P. americana
is paurometabolous, meaning there is development through nymphal
stage. The nymphs look very much like adults. The nymph grows by
moulting about 13 times to reach the adult form. The next to last nymphal
stage has wing pads but only adult cockroaches have wings.
Many species of cockroaches are wild and are of no economic importance.
A few species thrive in and around human habitat. They are pests because
they destroy food and contaminate it with their smelly excreta. They can
transmit a variety of bacterial diseases by contaminating food material.

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