1969] 
Roth — Genitalia of Blattaria 
237 
Blaberus colosseus as a synonym of B. giganteus. However, Hebard 
(1916, p. 292) described the prepuce of colosseus as follows: . . The 
surrounding mantle having the free dorsal and distal margins fringed 
with small blunt chitinous projections, these longer and more like 
short blunt teeth of a comb on the sinistral margin.” This description 
does not fit a member of the Giganteus Group. I have examined the 
male genitalia of several specimens including some which Hebard 
used in his study and conclude that colosseus is not giganteus. The 
genitalia of colosseus (Figs. 116-129) differs markedly from that of 
giganteus (Figs. 28-40). B. colosseus phenotypically resembles gigan- 
teus , but it is paler in color (Hebard 1916) ; it is the largest member 
of the Brasilianus Group, and the only species in this group which 
in size, color, and markings (some individuals) resembles B. gigan- 
teus. 
The prepuce of colosseus combines features of both the Brasilianus 
and Atropos Groups. The relatively small anterior elevations on the 
left side of the prepuce are not much larger than the spines on the 
right (Figs. 116-120, 122-129) a characteristic of the Brasilianus 
Group. However, the preputial spines of colosseus are all relatively 
large, fairly widely separated, particularly on the left side, and re- 
semble these spines in the Atropos Group. With few exceptions (Figs. 
184, 188) species of the Atropos Group have anterior truncate or 
rounded elevations on the left side of the prepuce that are much 
larger and more robust than the spines on the right side (Figs. 133- 
153, 155-170, 174-183, 185-187, 189-198, 200, 201, 203, 204, 210). 
One specimen from Guatemala, determined as B. colosseus by 
Hebard is actually Blaberus craniifer (Fig. 72). Two specimens (ex 
Canal Zone and French Guiana) determined by Hebard as colosseus 
are giganteus (Figs. 27, 28). The specimens which Hebard claimed 
were colosseus came from Trinidad, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and 
Panama. I have seen 9 specimens of colosseus ; 6 were from Trinidad, 
2 from Mexico, and 1 from Venezuela. One specimen from French 
Guiana is probably colosseus (Figs. 208, 214). The distribution of 
this species must await an examination of additional material. 
Atropos Group. — Five species, atropos (Figs. 130-132), para- 
bolicus (Fig. 154), discoidalis (Fig. 173), boliviensis (Fig. 199), and 
anisitsi (Fig. 202) belong to this group. 
The armament on the preputial membrane shows the greatest varia- 
160. (N), Borba, Rio Madeira, Amazonas, Brazil. 161. (AMNH), Iquitos, 
Peru. 162. (AMNH), Rio Ucayali, Peru. 163. (AMNH), Moyobamoa, 
San Martin, Peru. 164. (AMNH), Rio Ucayali, Peru. 165. (AMNH), Rio 
Maranon, Peru. 
