Indian Domino Cockroach Therea petiveriana

This Indian species sports more nicknames than most celebrities: desert cockroach, seven-spotted, domino cockroach, Indian domino. All those names point to its distinctive spotted pattern and earthiness. It's a crepuscular species (active at dawn and dusk), which means it avoids the scorching midday heat by burrowing under leaf litter and loose soil in its scrub forest home.

Roundish and intricately marked, it occupies a fascinating position in the evolutionary tree, representing an ancient lineage within the cockroach family. Its heat-avoidance strategy and cryptic lifestyle make it a master of the forest floor.