Rhabdoblatta subsparsa (Walker, 1868). Photo: Special Arrangement.
India is home to 191 species of cockroaches and 119 of these species (more than 60% of the species) are endemic to India, a recent publication by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) highlighted. Endemism is the ecological state where a species or taxonomic group is native to a single, highly defined geographic location.
The publication titled DNA barcodes and species delimitation reveal overlooked diversity in Indian cockroaches (Blattodea), reveals that India’s hidden cockroach diversity is far greater than previously recognized.
The paper points out that at present 191 extant species of cockroaches Blattodea have been documented in India, distributed across 74 genera, with 126 species having defined type localities within the country.
“Notably, 119 of these species are endemic to India, yet less than 20% of this diversity is represented by genetic data in public databases. This substantial gap in molecular data limits the resolution of the systematics of Indian cockroaches and their representation in global phylogeny,” the paper says.
As per the study recently published in journal Zootaxa, scientists from ZSI and Prof Ramkrishna More College, have developed the first and largest DNA barcode reference library for the cockroaches of peninsular India.
DNA barcoding functions like a supermarket scanner, utilizing short, standardized DNA sequences to achieve rapid and highly accurate species identification.
“The study highlights the growing power of DNA barcoding as a globally recognized tool for uncovering hidden species diversity, resolving taxonomic ambiguities, and documenting poorly known groups such as cockroaches,” said Dhriti Banerjee, Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.
The study pointed out that of the 126 species originally described from India, only 40 have been recollected and confirmed through fresh specimens and the remaining 86 species are known only from their original descriptions, with type specimens deposited in abroad museums making direct physical comparisons currently unfeasible.
“DNA barcode studies on the cockroaches of Peninsular India have opened new avenues for understanding the evolutionary diversification of endemic lineages, revealing possible Gondwanan biogeographic affinities and highlighting how long-term geographic isolation and continental history shaped the fauna of the Indian subcontinent,” Shabnam, lead author of the paper said.
K.P. Dinesh, team leader of DNA Barcoding Studies, from ZSI’s Western Regional Centre, Pune said that while cockroaches are widely misunderstood and stereotyped purely as household pests, the vast majority of wild species are harmless.
“As one of the oldest and most diverse insect groups on Earth, they play a vital role in maintaining natural ecosystems by decomposing organic matter, recycling nutrients, and supporting forest food webs. Furthermore, because these wild species are highly sensitive to environmental disturbances, they serve as crucial indicators of ecosystem health,” Dr. Dinesh said.
The findings underscore an urgent need for continued exploration and molecular documentation to safeguard the nation’s rich biological heritage, the scientist said.
A few months ago in March 2026, researchers discovered a new species of cockroach, Neoloboptera peninsularis, lurking within the agricultural landscapes of the Deccan Peninsula. Scientists moved beyond traditional physical descriptions and used DNA barcoding for the discovery of the new species. There are about 5000 species of cockroaches found across the world and India represents approximately 3.8% of global diversity of cockroaches.
Published – May 27, 2026 07:28 am IST
