Cathedral Termite vs Discoid Cockroach

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cathedral Termite Discoid Cockroach
Scientific Name Nasutitermes triodiae Blaberus discoidalis
Order Blattodea Blattodea
Family Termitidae Blaberidae
Size 5-7 mm 35-45mm
Habitat Grasslands Caves
Diet Wood Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions Oceania Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Cathedral Termite

Builds enormous mound structures up to 8 meters tall — the tallest structures relative to builder size of any animal. Mounds have sophisticated ventilation and temperature regulation.

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Did You Know?

Proportionally, termite mounds are the tallest structures built by any animal — if humans built at the same scale, our buildings would be over 1.5 km tall.

Discoid Cockroach

A large flat cockroach with a distinctive discoid body shape and a dark chevron pattern on its pale pronotum. Adults have full wings but rarely fly. It is a common laboratory and feeder insect.

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Did You Know?

It is widely used in scientific research on insect locomotion because of its consistent running behavior on treadmills.