Simandoa Roth & Naskrecki, n. gen.

Sexes similar. Tegmina and wings fully developed, reaching to about 6^th abdominal tergite (Fig. 1A), supra-anal plate, or end of abdomen, but not exceeding it (female wings may be slightly longer thanmale's). Tegmina with oblique discoidal sectors. Hind wing with anterior field dark, coriaceous. Posterior field lighter, membranous (Fig. 2F). Stridulating structures absent from posterolateral corners of pronotum and base of tegmina. Front femur completely unarmed, without terminal spine on anteroventral margin, knee spine absent; mid and hind femurs with a knee spine, and only with a small, single terminal spine on the anteroventral margins. All tarsi short, the basitarsus shorter than succeeding segments combined (Fig. 2H); all tarsomeres (including 5^th segment; Figs 2G, H) with well developed pulvilli; some other blaberids (Blaberinae: e.g., Blaberus discoidalis, Archimandrita tessellate) have a similar pulvillus on the 5^th tarsal segment when examined in a living specimen; in a pinned specimen, the dried pulvillus on the 5^th tarsomere tends to collapse and disappear, although those on the other segments are still recognizable. Large spines on outer and inner margins of tibiae essentially arranged in threes, tarsal claws simple, symmetrical, arolia well developed (Fig. 2G). Male abdominal tergites unspecialized. Supra-anal plate, styles, and genitalia (Figs 2B, 2E) typically Oxyhalinae: Nauphoetini.

Etymology.— The generic name is derived from the Simandou Range in Guinea, West Africa, the type locality of the genus.

Simandoa conserfariam Roth & Naskrecki, n. sp. Figs 1A–C, 2A–H

Male: (Fig. 1A) Head exposed; eyes relatively well developed, interocular space about same as distance between ocelli; left mandible with 4 large spine-like teeth (Fig. 2A). Pronotum subelliptical (Figs 1A, 2B), surface minutely and sparsely punctulate. Tegmina and wings fully developed but not exceeding end of abdomen; when the abdomen is extended in the living specimen the front and hind wings may reach to about the 7^th tergite (Fig. 1A); however, when dead and dried, they may reach the supra-anal plate. Hind wing with coriaceous anterior field, cubitus vein with 4 complete and 6 incomplete branches, apical triangle small, elongate (Fig. 2F). Stridulating structures absent from pronotum and tegmina (see remarks).

Front femur completely unarmed, anterior ventral margin with dense row of spinules or microtrichia, short stout spines (including a terminal and knee spine) absent; mid and hind femurs with a knee spine, their anteroventral margins armed only with a very small terminal spine. Tarsomeres of all legs (including the 5^th segment) with large, well developed pulvilli; those on segments 2 to 4 round, occupying entire segment, those on 1^st segment occupying practically entire length of segment; pulvillus on 5^th segment narrow, elongate, extends practically full length of the segment and is white, as are all other pulvilli (Figs 2G–H). Large spines on tibia biseriately arranged on inner and distal half of outer margins; tarsal claws symmetrical, simple, arolia well developed (Fig. 2G). Supra-anal plate hind margin convex, broadly rounded, with medial invagination (Fig. 2C). Subgenital plate of Oxyhaloinae type, symmetrical, transverse, lateral corners acute, excised, with pair of similar cylindrical styles, each located just anterior to the excision, interstylar margin convex, entire (Fig. 2E). Genitalia as in Fig. 2B (to save space, the phallomeres are here oriented horizontally, with the hook on top, but in their normal position they are longitudinal, with the hook on right side; see Fig. 1 in Roth, 1971); sclerotized hook on the right side, strongly curved, apex with small acute, clear membrane (transparent and not visible in Fig. 2B), attached to elongate, retractable, membranous tube, the whole phallomere enclosed in a membrane that has to be peeled away to see the structure clearly; left phallomere greatly reduced, only cleft region remaining; the L2d sclerotized and separated from apex of the elongated, rod-like L2vm, and enclosed in lightly sclerotized, membranous “bag” which has to be removed to reveal its shape.

Color: Occiput and vertex black, ocelli white, area between them pale but slightly darker; region below pale zone down to clypeus, brownish black, labrum dark with pale spots; mandibles yellow, the toothed distal borders black; maxillary palpomeres light brown (Fig. 2A). Pronotum black, completely surrounded by narrow, white margin, which is slightly broader along anterior and posterior borders (Fig. 2B). Tegmina dark brown, sparsely speckled with small pale, variably sized spots, mediastine vein dark (Fig. 1A). Hind wing with very dark anterior field, posterior field distinctly lighter (Fig. 2F). Abdominal tergites black with broad yellow anterior borders, supra-anal plate ringed with yellow (F), and narrow medial longitudinal stripe (Figs 1A, 2C).

Female: Habitus similar to male. Head exposed. Eyes fully developed; interocular space about same as distance between round ocelli, less than distance between antennal sockets. Pronotum subelliptical. Tegmina and wings fully developed but reaching only to about anterior margin of supra-anal plate, or end of abdomen. Tegmina with discoidal sectors oblique. Hind wing with anterior field darkly sclerotized, coriaceous, apical margin broadly rounded, cubitus vein with about 4 incomplete and about 6 complete branches, apical triangle narrowly elongate, colorless; posterior field mostly pale, veins dark, including incomplete veinlets found between the complete rami (Fig. 2F). Laterocaudal angles of abdominal tergites 1 to 4 not produced, angles of segments 5 to 7 weakly produced caudad. Supra-anal plate broadly rounded, weakly indented mesad (Fig. 2D). Subgenital plate symmetrical, not valvular, hind margin laterally oblique, distally broadly rounded.

Color: Occiput and vertex black, succeeded by a transverse pale band between round, whitish ocelli, which almost touch the antennal sockets (Fig. 2A). Face dark, posterior clypeus, labrum, labial and maxillary palps, and mandibles, pale (Fig. 2A); antennae brown. Left tegmen sprinkled with small, different sized, whitish specks (Fig. 1A). Abdominal tergites blackish with narrow yellowish bands along anterior and posterior margins; laterally tegmina and wings do not completely cover the abdominal tergites, and the ends of the yellowish bands are visible. Abdominal tergites with narrower yellow bands; supra-anal plate black, the yellowish margin very narrow, median longitudinal pale line absent (Fig. 2D). Abdominal sternites with broad, median longitudinal orangish band, lateral regions black, anterior margins in lateral black zones with yellow comma-shaped mark directed caudad (Fig. 1B). Cerci light orange. Legs with coxae dark brown, mid and hind ones with whitish outer border; femurs, tibiae, and tarsi light orange, pulvilli and arolia white.

The striking yellow markings of adults and nymphs of Simandoa suggest aposematic coloration. Bright colors in cave dwellers are rare: troglobites often lose their pigmentation.

Measurements.— (mm; n = 1 ♂, 1♀) (♀ in parentheses): Length 30.0 [abdomen contracted] (39.0); pronotum length × width 8.2 × 10.8 (8.8 × 13.5); tegmen length 22.0 (26.7); interocular width 1.9 (2.1).

Nymphs (length 24 mm; Fig. 1C): apterous. Large nymphs are dark brown. Head black without yellow interocular band. Pronotum dark with narrow yellowish stripe only along anterior and posterior margins. Abdominal tergites dark with a narrow yellowish stripe along the posterior margins; abdominal sternites dark, lighter mesad on proximal segments, lateral dark regions without yellow comma-shaped maculae. Cerci and legs orange.

Specimens examined.—Holotype, ♂ (genitalia on slide 379), GUINEA): Simandou Mts., Camp 1, nr Pic du Fon (lat 8°31′52″N, long 8°54′21.3″W), 1300 m, 27–30.xi.2002, coll. P. Naskrecki; MCZ, Type no. 35101. Paratypes.- same data as holotype, 3♀♀ (MCZ).

The species was collected in a bat cave, burrowing in guano. (Fig. 1D). One ♂, 3♀♀, and several nymphs were collected alive and a culture established in the MCZ.

Etymology.— The specific epithet conserfariam, derived from Latin words conservo (to preserve) and multifariam (in many places) honors Conservation International, a non-profit organization responsible for preservation of a number of endangered habitats and species across the globe.

Habitat.—The cockroaches were found in a small cave (lat 8°31′N, long 8°54′W) located at an elevation of 1100 m within a deep valley having almost pristine high forest; this is near a fast flowing river on the eastern slope of Pic de Fon. The cave is open on both ends, allowing for a considerable amount of light to penetrate most of its area. The distance between the openings was about 35 m, and the distance from the floor of the cave to the highest point of its ceiling was about 20 m. Despite the open character of the cave, humidity was high, maintained by a small stream running through it (Fig. 1D).

The cave was inhabited by a large colony of Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) (Fig. 1E). The number of bats in the colony was estimated in the range of 1000 to 1500 individuals of both sexes and all ages. Most of the floor of the cave was completely covered with bat guano, forming a layer in some places at least 1 m deep. Simandoa conserfariam was abundant in the cave, congregating in groups of 20 to 50 individuals of all ages at a depth of 5 to 30 cm within the guano (Fig. 1D, arrow). Whether the species also occurs outside caves is unknown. There were usually only 2 to 3 adults within each aggregation. When handled, live adults and nymphs defecate, possibly a defensive mechanism. Nymphs do not produce a viscous, sticky, defensive substance, which many other species (mostly nymphs of Blattellidae and Blattidae) secrete on their terminal abdominal tergites. No cockroaches were found on the surface of the guano, even in those portions of the cave, that were in complete darkness. Also, no cockroaches were found in deep crevices in the walls of the cave where no bat guano was present, although large groups of cave crickets (Phaeophilacris sp.) inhabited nearly all cracks. Each congregation of cockroaches was usually accompanied by 5 to 10 individuals of a yet-unidentified, large, darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae). In addition to S. conserfariam, 2 other cockroaches were present on the ground, and walls of the cave, but not buried in the guano: ?Margattioidea sp. (Blattellidae: Pseudophyllodromiinae) and Anaplecta sp. (Blattellidae: Blattellinae). Brief descriptions of these species are given here so they can be recognised, if collected in the future.