This page covers the basic information about the BSF database and website. The Blattodea Species File is an application based on Species File Software, a foundation for taxonomic database development. Information about the design and use of SFS may be found at http://Software.SpeciesFile.org.
Statistics about the quantity of data, information about participating in work on the database, and the website and database editorial policy are on separate pages.
The Blattodea Species File Online (BSF) is an up-to-date, accurate synonymic catalogue of the scientific names of world cockroaches, which also includes information about the geographical distribution of cockroach species, data about type specimens and their depositories, and images of types and other specimens. Termites (previously order Isoptera, now epifamily Termitoidae) and fossil cockroaches will not be included in the BSF unless collaborators can be found to enter and update the information for them. Note that many so-called fossil cockroaches are actually ancestral "roachoids" with external ovipositors, that predate the split between the mantids (Mantodea) and the cockroaches (Blattodea), which is thought to have occurred during the lower Cretaceous about 140 million years ago. These would fall outside of the scope of the BSF anyway.
We hope that the BSF will be a useful resource for cockroach taxonomists and other biologists, not only as a source of information about nomenclature, but also as a tool to aid in identifying cockroaches, using the images of specimens, information about species distribution and, in the future, taxonomic keys and pdf copies of original descriptions and other literature. A wide variety of cockroach species are kept in captivity as pets, lab animals, food for insectivorous animals, etc. and, unfortunately, they are often misidentified or their scientific names are misspelt. Hopefully the BSF will help to prevent some of these errors from being made.
Please note that if you are seriously interested in cockroaches – either as pets, or in their biology and taxonomy – then you might like to consider joining the Blattodea Culture Group (see http://www.blattodea-culture-group.org/).
The BSF updates and augments the excellent world catalogue of cockroaches by Karlis Princis (1893-1978), which was published in eight parts between 1962 and 1971. The main additions are as follows:
Although the BSF contains information not present in Princis' catalogue it does not entirely supersede it, since Princis' work includes comprehensive lists of the publications which mention a particular taxon. For economically important pest species such as the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) several hundred references are listed. Since there is little likelihood that these will be entered into the BSF database in the foreseeable future, we have included a reference to the catalogue part and page number(s) on which a name is listed in Princis. This will enable people who are lucky enough to have a copy of his scarce catalogue to rapidly find names in it without having to refer to the index.
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George Beccaloni began work on the database that was to become the BSF in 2004. This early version simply contained a list of all currently valid cockroach genera and their higher classification. In February 2005 Daniel Otte (USA) suggested to George that he might consider developing a comprehensive Species File database for cockroaches and he put George in contact with David Eades (USA) so that they could discuss this possibility.
George finished work on the first version of the BSF database in January 2007 and he sent it to David and his team for migration from MS Access to the Species File system. Most of George's work on this database was done in his spare time during 2006 (George's current job does not allow him official time to work on this project). The BSF first went live on the Web in May 2007 and data migration was completed in July 2007.
George would like to thank the Orthopterists' Society (http://140.247.119.138/OS_Homepage/) for their continuing support of the BSF.
The BSF is a 'work in progress' and as such much of the information in it still needs to be carefully checked. There is also a vast amount of important data still to be added!
The BSF contains all published genus-group names plus all valid species and subspecies names published up until about the end of 2005. We are aware of approximately 400 older species-group or infrasubspecific names (all of which are junior synonyms or homonyms) which are currently missing from the BSF and we intend to incorporate these soon.
So far, most of the effort put into error checking data in the BSF has concentrated on ensuring that names of taxa are correctly spelt and that the author names and years of publication are correct. Unfortunately the original published combinations of names and their original spellings are not always given in Princis’ catalogue and sometimes when they are given the information is ambiguous or incorrect. It will therefore be necessary to examine the original descriptions of all taxa in order to ensure that this information is correctly recorded in the BSF. This task has begun and will continue for a long time to come.
Although there should be very few cases of taxa having incorrect author names or years of publication, the reference given to the publication in which a name was originally published is unfortunately currently incorrect for some taxa. This problem resulted from having to link a database containing the names of taxa to a database containing taxonomic references. Mismatches occurred in some cases where the author of a name published more than one taxonomic paper in the same year as the name in question. These errors will be corrected soon.
In the near future the BSF will be linked in to the Species 2000 and ITIS 'Catalogue of Life' Dynamic Checklist (http://www.sp2000.org/) and it will become the data provider for world cockroach names. The species names in the BSF will also be included in the Catalogue of Life Annual Checklist (http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2007/info_source_dbs.php), which is widely used around the world, including providing the core taxonomy for the GBIF (http://www.gbif.org/) and other Web portals.
Work on the BSF will be prioritised as follows:
If you notice any errors or omissions in the BSF then please report them to George Beccaloni (send mail). In addition, if you are a taxonomist and describe any cockroach taxa, then please send George a copy of your publication (as a pdf file if possible) so that he can keep the BSF up-to-date.
If you have photos of living cockroaches or museum specimens (especially types) which you would like to have included in the BSF then please contact George. Cockroaches should be accurately identified to at least genus level. JPEGs are preferred and image files should ideally be no larger than 1MB in size. The name of the image should include the scientific name; followed by any useful information (briefly stated!); and finally the name of the copyright holder. Underscores should be used instead of spaces, e.g., Gromphadorhina_grandidieri_Mangily_Madagascar_Copyright_G.W.Beccaloni.jpg or Elliptorhina_brunneri_Holotype_male_in_BMNH_Copyright_BMNH.jpg. If you do not hold the copyright of an image then please ensure that you have the permission of the copyright holder to publish the image on the Web.
Inward, D., Beccaloni, G. & Eggleton, P. 2007. Death of an order: a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study confirms that termites are eusocial cockroaches. Biology Letters, Published online 5 April 2007. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2007.0102
Princis, K. 1962. Blattariae: Subordo Polyphagoidea: Fam. Polyphagidae. In: Beier, M. (Ed.). Orthopterorum Catalogus. Pars 3. W. Junk, 's-Gravenhage: 1-74.
Princis, K. 1963. Blattariae: Suborde [sic] Polyphagoidea: Fam.: Homoeogamiidae, Euthyrrhaphidae, Latindiidae, Anacompsidae, Atticolidae, Attaphilidae. Subordo Blaberoidea: Fam. Blaberidae. In: Beier, M. (Ed.). Orthopterorum Catalogus. Pars 4. W. Junk, 's-Gravenhage: 76-172.
Princis, K. 1964. Blattariae: Subordo Blaberoidea: Fam.: Panchloridae, Gynopeltididae, Derocalymmidae, Perisphaeriidae, Pycnoscelididae. In: Beier, M. (Ed.). Orthopterorum Catalogus. Pars 6. W. Junk, 's-Gravenhage: 174-281.
Princis, K. 1965. Blattariae: Subordo Blaberoidea: Fam.: Oxyhaloidae, Panesthiidae, Cryptocercidae, Chorisoneuridae, Oulopterygidae, Diplopteridae, Anaplectidae, Archiblattidae, Nothoblattidae. In: Beier, M. (Ed.). Orthopterorum Catalogus. Pars 7. W. Junk, 's-Gravenhage: 284-400.
Princis, K. 1966. Blattariae: Suborbo [sic] Blattoidea. Fam.: Blattidae, Nocticolidae. In: Beier, M. (Ed.). Orthopterorum Catalogus. Pars 8. W. Junk, 's-Gravenhage: 402-614.
Princis, K. 1967. Pars 11. Blattariae: Suborbo [sic] Epilamproidea. Fam.: Nyctiboridae, Epilampridae. In: Beier, M. (Ed.). Orthopterorum Catalogus. Pars 11. W. Junk, 's-Gravenhage: 617-710.
Princis, K. 1969. Blattariae: Subordo Epilamproidea. Fam.: Blattellidae. In: Beier, M. (Ed.). Orthopterorum Catalogus. Pars 13. W. Junk, 's-Gravenhage: 712-1038.
Princis, K. 1971. Blattariae: Subordo Epilamproidea. Fam.: Ectobiidae. In: Beier, M. (Ed.). Orthopterorum Catalogus. Pars 14. W. Junk, 's-Gravenhage: 1041-1224.
Roth, L. M. 2003. Systematics and phylogeny of cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattaria). Oriental Insects, 37: 1-186.