Sea cockroach

Cockroach - an insect that disgusts many people. Many housewives who met him in their kitchen, just covered horror. But in this article we will discuss another fellow usual for us. gooseberry - sea cockroach, which has nothing in common except the name, with the previous representative has not. If a domestic pest lives on land and feeds on organic remains, the sea cockroach belongs to the crustaceans and is an inhabitant of the deep sea.

Special features

In nature, there are more than 80 species of sea cockroaches. They live not only in salt water, but also in fresh water. Not everyone saw what the sea cockroach looks like in the photo. The creature reaches a length of 10 cm, most often has a gray, brown, sand or white shade. This color helps the crayfish to mask and be invisible to predatory fish.

Sea cockroach

The body structure of the sea cockroach has some peculiarity. The body of the crustacean narrowed to the end covers a protective shell divided into several segments. This kind of external skeleton protects the arthropod from mechanical damage and various infections. The crayfish, as it grows, is forced to periodically discard the chitinous cover, as it eventually becomes close to it. This process of "dressing up" is called molting. It was during this period that the sea dweller was able to increase the volume of its soft tissues.

Also on the body of crustaceans there are external and internal antennae (the latter are shorter). On the sides of the small head there are eyes and gills for breathing. An elongated linear body ends with a narrowed tail. Below is a photo of sea cockroaches.

Sea cockroaches live at the bottom of lakes or seas (mainly in the White, Baltic or Black seas). The plants found there, the remains of organic substances and small representatives of the animal world serve as arthropod food. Crustaceans prefer to eat carrion, and sometimes they can even enjoy the flesh of their fellow man.

How waterfowl cockroaches breed

Sea cockroach

Reproduction of marine cockroaches is the same as in normal insects - sexually. A planktonic larva (nauplius) emerged from the embryo has only 2 segments. In the process of growth from the tail side, the formation of new segments. The next stage of development of the larva is called the metanauplius. In the process of growth, the larva undergoes several molts, during which not only external but also internal transformations occur.

Are sea cockroaches edible?

Man eats not only meat from poultry or domestic animals, but also frogs, snakes, grasshoppers, and even worms. Therefore, it is not worth being surprised that sea cockroaches become components of exotic dishes that have their gourmets.Moreover, these creatures, like all crustaceans: lobsters, crayfish or crabs are very nutritious.

For our compatriots, such delicacies are unacceptable. And if such a specimen is accidentally caught in canned fish, information about the incident will immediately spread, which could later affect the reputation of the manufacturer. And, for example, a resident of Africa will eat the contents of "for the sweet soul," without even noticing.