Tropical Bat Fly vs Death's Head Cockroach

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tropical Bat Fly Death's Head Cockroach
Scientific Name Cyclopodia horsfieldi Blaberus craniifer
Order Diptera Blattodea
Family Nycteribiidae Blaberidae
Size 3-5 mm 50-75mm
Habitat Caves Caves
Diet Parasites Fruit Feeders
Regions South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia Central America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Tropical Bat Fly

A bizarre wingless bat fly with extremely long spider-like legs and a flattened body. It is a specialist parasite of fruit bats in tropical Asia.

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Did You Know?

Its legs are so long relative to its body that it can crawl rapidly through bat fur while maintaining grip during flight.

Death's Head Cockroach

A large cockroach with a distinctive skull-like marking on its pronotum. It is a popular feeder insect and pet species. When disturbed it can produce a loud hissing sound by expelling air.

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Did You Know?

The dark marking on its thorax closely resembles a human skull or vampire face, inspiring its morbid common name.