The description of a new species of the woodroach Cryptocercus kyebangensis Grandcolas from South Korea offers the opportunity to bring comparative information within the genus. This species, though morphologically very similar to other East Asian and North American species, presents conspicuous differentiation of both ribosomal genes (sequenced fragments of 12S and 16S) and chemical blends from tergal glands (proportions of linalyl acetate and the alcohol 4, 6, 8-trimethyl-7, 9-undecadien-5-ol, compounds previously identified in females originating from North America). A phylogenetic reconstruction involving Blatta orientalis as an outgroup, Therea petiveriana as a polyphagid relative, C. kyebangensis and 17 North American Cryptocercus populations showed that C. kyebangensis stands as a sister-group of North American Cryptocercus, thus suggesting that one beringian vicariance has taken place in the early differentiation of the genus. Using sequence divergences within the framework of the molecular clock leads to comparable datation estimates for both ribosomal genes, ranging between Miocene and Pliocene for the whole history of the genus Cryptocercus, therefore congruent with previous phylogenetic biogeographical estimates. This new set of data for this East Asian species supports heterobathmy in the genus Cryptocercus and argues against the misleading “primitive taxon” concept.

Species nova: Cryptocercus kyebangensis Grandcolas.