Revision of the genus Arenivaga Rehn (Blattodea: Polyphagidae)

Arenivaga Rehn (Blattodea: Polyphagidae) is a genus of cockroach adapted to life in the deserts of the American southwest, Florida, and Mexico. Also known as sand cockroaches, the females and nymphs “swim” through sand and feed on detritus and mycorrhizal fungi on the roots of desert shrubs. The two sexes are dimorphic with the females robust and apterous, whereas mature males are gracile and have wings. Prior to this study, nine species were known. The goals of this project are to revise the genus, clarify the existing nomenclature, describe new species, establish a phylogenetic hypothesis for the group, and investigate their natural history.