Balta bicolor
Species of insect
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Balta bicolor is a type of cockroach from the genus Balta.[1] Native to eastern Australia, the species has been identified in New Zealand since 2009.
| Balta bicolor | |
|---|---|
| |
| A Balta bicolor specimen in Auckland, New Zealand | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Blattodea |
| Family: | Ectobiidae |
| Genus: | Balta |
| Species: | B. bicolor |
| Binomial name | |
| Balta bicolor Hebard, 1943 | |
Description
Balta bicolor has a relatively pale face, occiput and interocular area, with dark antennae. It is visually similar to Ellipsidion cockroaches, and can be distinguished from Balta transversa by its deeper head proportions.[1]
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to eastern Australia.[2] In 2009, Biosecurity New Zealand first identified the species in New Zealand (as Balta bicolour), after being found in an Auckland kitchen.[3]
Balta bicolor is typically found in plant litter or under bark.[4]
