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Psyche 
[Vol. 92 
cies were later dusted with household flour and further observed. 
Grooming is performed by either Cleaning (passage through the 
mouth parts) or by Rubbing a structure with another body part or, 
rarely, the substrate. Palpi are curled into the mouth for cleaning. 
Antennae are cleaned by one of four techniques: Unassisted, in 
which the antenna deflects into the mouth by its own musculature, 
and three types of Assisted: Bipedal, in which both forelegs grasp 
one antenna and pull it into the mouth, Ipsilateral, assisted by the 
foreleg on the same side of the head as the antenna cleaned, and 
Contralateral, assisted by the opposite foreleg. Each leg is cleaned in 
one mode only; the leg is presented ventrally and pulled posteriad. 
Some species clean the sternum, and some turn the head sideways to 
clean the edge of the pronotum and/or tegmen. 
All rubbing is unilaterally performed. Rubbing by the ipsilateral 
foreleg grooms the basal parts of the antennae not reached by the 
mouthparts, as well as the various head surfaces. The abdomen is 
extensively rubbed with the ipsilateral hindleg contacting the dorsal, 
ventral, or lateral edges. The cerci are similarly rubbed. The dorsal 
surface of the tegmen is occasionally fubbed with the ipsilateral 
hindleg. Flipping of the wings upward or outward occurs, usually 
while abdomen rubbing is in progress, but can also occur separately. 
Several additional movements not generally characteristic of all 
Blattaria were infrequently performed by some species (these are 
included in Tables 2 and 3). Three blattellids and one blaberid occa- 
sionally rubbed the underside of the wing edge with the midleg, and 
one of these blattellids made similar movements with the foreleg 
against the underside of the pronotum. This same species and a 
blaberid performed hindleg-hindleg rubbing. Finally, two unrelated 
species, a blattellid and a blaberid, occasionally dragged the side of 
the abdomen against the substrate. 
Grooming behavior is highly stereotyped in Blattaria. Except for 
Antenna Clean, a particular structure is groomed similarly by all 
species. Apparently, there has been no selection to evolve unique 
grooming structures nor positions that relate to the ecological differ- 
ences of modern roaches. What works for one seems to work for all 
of those studied. 
Cryptocercids form a special case since they have a very restricted 
repertory, but those grooming movements observed are performed 
as in other species. The minimal repertory of Cryptocercus may be a 
result of evolutionary loss of grooming movements, related to the 
