380 
Psyche 
[Vol. 92 
(Cryptocercidae, Blattidae, Blattellidae) and the more specialized 
Blaberidae. All roaches except the blaberids (the Polyphagidae were 
not sampled) assist antennae cleaning using the Contralateral mode. 
Individuals of each of the sampled species of Blaberidae, including a 
representative of the most primitive subfamily (Zetoborinae: Schul- 
tesia lampyridiformis) use either the Ipsilateral and/or Unassisted 
modes. No individual of any of the observed blaberid species used 
the Contralateral mode. 
The constancy of this pattern seems highly significant. Appa- 
rently the Blaberidae are the most distinctive and cohesive family of 
roaches. The grooming data suggest that the Blaberidae, as numer- 
ous and superficially diverse as they are, form a specialized group 
clearly separate from the other roaches. This conclusion is in direct 
agreement with both McKittrick (1964) and Huber (1974). 
The abrupt change in blaberid antennal grooming is probably tied 
to this recent evolutionary surge. The Blaberidae are the most 
recently evolved, most complex, most diverse cockroach family 
(Huber, 1974; McKittrick, 1964). If a new grooming movement were 
to evolve among the roaches, it would most logically appear, not in 
the groups which are the least changed from the ancestral forms, but 
in those which are the most changed, i.e., the Blaberidae. When 
available, the addition of polyphagid antenna cleaning behavior will 
further clarify the relationship of Blaberidae to the remaining fami- 
lies. If the mode used by Polyphagidae proves to be Contralateral, 
the Blaberidae would even more clearly appear to be a group apart. 
It seems unlikely that Polyphagidae and Blaberidae will have 
similar antennal cleaning techniques. Polyphagidae is a primitive 
family, most closely related to the Blattellidae, while the Blaberidae 
devloped from a group which was already clearly separate from 
Polyphagidae (McKittrick, 1964). Thereafter, Blaberidae underwent 
extensive adaptive radiation, diverging even farther from their 
source group, and presumably from Polyphagidae. Any similarity 
of the Polyphagidae (a group which has not changed much from its 
ancestral forms) and the Blaberidae (a group very greatly changed) 
should be almost coincidental. 
The monogeneric family Cryptocercidae forms a special case. 
Grooming movements recorded from C. punctulatus were the few- 
est of any species: a total of only four movements was recorded in 
more than twelve hours of observation. One individual of this spe- 
cies was put through two flour trials; neither yielded additional 
