New Cockroach Species Discovered in Maharashtra | 27 Mar 2026

Why in News? 

A new species of cockroach, Neoloboptera peninsularis, has been discovered in Pune by scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), marking the first time modern DNA technology was used in India to identify a cockroach species.  

Key Points 

• Discovery: The species was found in leaf litter and palm shrubs near farmland in Nathachiwadi, Daund, Pune.  
  • It has been named Neoloboptera peninsularis, with “peninsularis” referring to its origin in peninsular India. 
• Technology: Scientists combined traditional morphological analysis with modern DNA sequencing (DNA barcoding and phylogenetic studies) to accurately classify the species—the first such DNA‑based identification of a cockroach species in India. 
• Significance: Neoloboptera peninsularis is only the third species of its genus recorded in India, with the other two described in 1865 and 1995, highlighting the rich but underexplored insect biodiversity in the region.  
• Characteristics: The new cockroach has a glossy yellowish‑brown body with fully developed wings, asymmetrical cerci (rear appendages), and a unique male genital structure, which distinguish it from other related species. 
• Zoological Survey of India (ZSI):  
  • The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is a subordinate organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. 
  • It was established in 1916. 
  • The headquarters of ZSI is located in Kolkata.