of the male tergal gland reservoirs on the eighth abdominal segment 
(cp. Figs. 1 and 2 with Figs. 3 and 4). Although there is some 
variation in the shapes of these sacs in germanica (see Figs. 6, 7, in 
Roth, 1985), their posterior margins curve cephalad where they may 
or may not join with the anterior margins. In asahinai the sacs are 
connected anteriorly, but their hind margins are widely separated 
(see Figs. 12B, C, 13A-F, in Roth, 1985). The Fj males resulting 
from crossing male asahinai with female germanica have reservoirs 
which are more typical of germanica (Figs. 5-8). 
Blattella asahinai is very widely distributed. On Okinawa it is 
usually found among dead leaves and litter on the ground, and 
occasionally was collected by sweeping over tree blossoms (Mizu- 
kubo, 1981). In Florida it is considered to be a potential pest since it 
is found in large numbers in lawns, on bushes, and invades houses. 
It is now being studied by members of the USDA-ARS, and the 
University of Florida, Household Insects Project (Patterson et al., 
1986). 
Acknowledgments 
I thank the following: Dr. Takayuki Mizukubo, National Insti- 
tute of Agro-Environmental Sciences, Japan, for his opinions con- 
cerning B. asahinai from Florida and B. beybienkoi; Dr. Syoziro 
Asahina, retired, for specimens of B. asahinai from Okinawa; Mr. 
Donald Azuma, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia for 
sending paratypes of B. beybienkoi to Dr. Mizukubo at my request; 
Dr. R. S. Patterson, Dr. R. J. Brenner, and Dr. P. G. Koehler, 
USDA-ARS, Gainesville, Florida, and the University of Florida, 
for specimens and biological information of asahinai from Florida 
and for Fj specimens resulting from a cross between asahinai and 
germanica. 
I am grateful to The American Philosophical Society for partial 
support. 
References 
Asahina, S. 
1985. Taxonomic notes on Japanese Blattaria, XIV. Descriptions of one new 
and four little-known species. Cho Cho, pub. by Gen-Gen Sha, 
Kitakyushu-shi, Wakamatsu, Miyamaru, Nippon, 8: 19-26. 
Mizukubo, T. 
1981. A revision of the genus Blattella (Blattaria: Blattellidae) of Japan. 1. 
Terminology of the male genitalia and description of a new species from 
Okinawa Island. Esakia, 17 : 149-159. 
