Comparative analysis of excreta and fat body from various cockroach species

1. 1. Five additional cockroach species were shown to void uric acid to the exterior bringing the total to nine out of 49 species examined. All nine belong to the subfamily Blattellinae. 2. 2. Uric acid content in whole excreta from six species of Parcoblatta varied from 5.7 to 11.2%, while that in the white, formed-pellets varied from 25.4 to 36.1%. 3. 3. Young Parcoblattait nymphs void little uric acid during the first month of life, but subsequently expel it at adult rates. 4. 4. Fat body from 35 species of cockroaches has a consistent general cytological pattern involving three cell types. 5. 5. Fat body from all species examined contains uric acid within urate cells. 6. 6. Several possible strategies for urate utilization by cockroaches are discussed.