Delosia ornata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Delosia ornata |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Delosia
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| Species: |
ornata
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Delosia ornata is a special kind of cockroach that lives only on Desroches Island in the Seychelles. It belongs to the family Ectobiidae. This tiny insect is in big trouble! Experts have listed it as Critically Endangered, which means it's very close to disappearing forever.
What Does It Look Like?
Scientists first described Delosia ornata in 1924. For a long time, they only knew about the male cockroach. This first male specimen is called a holotype. Then, in 2006, scientists found a female and two young cockroaches, called nymphs. This helped them learn more about the species.
Where Does It Live?
This unique cockroach lives only on Desroches Island in the Seychelles. It likes to live in small patches of woodland near the coast. You can often find it hiding in deep piles of leaf litter. It especially likes areas where Hernandia nymphaefolia and Guettarda speciosa trees grow.
Some old reports from 1997 also mentioned this species in Sri Lanka. However, its main home is definitely Desroches Island.
Why Is It in Danger?
Delosia ornata faces many serious threats.
- Lost Homes: A long time ago, in 1906, much of the island's forest was cut down. This was to make room for coconut plantations. This left only tiny pieces of woodland for the cockroaches to live in.
- Fires: In 2007, a large fire damaged the woodland where these cockroaches live. Scientists are still not sure how much this fire affected their habitat.
- New Buildings: In 2012, there were plans to build a new hotel on the island. This project could destroy all the remaining places where Delosia ornata lives.
- Rising Seas: Desroches Island is very low, less than 1 meter (about 3 feet) above sea level. This means that rising sea levels are a big threat to the island and its wildlife.
Protecting This Species
Because of all these threats, Delosia ornata is in great danger.
- Small Numbers: In 2006, scientists estimated there were fewer than 300 adult cockroaches left. There were also about 600 young ones. These numbers are very low.
- Critically Endangered: In 2007, The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species officially listed Delosia ornata as Critically Endangered. This is the highest risk category for a species. It means they are very likely to become extinct if we don't help them.
Protecting the small woodland areas on Desroches Island is very important to save this special cockroach.
