About Methana marginalis (Saussure, 1864)
Methana marginalis is a relatively large species of cockroach. Adult individuals measure approximately 27 to 28.5 mm (1.06 to 1.12 inches) in length. This species is dark brown, with a light yellow band running around the edge of its body, yellow-brown legs, and a tegmen that completely covers the abdomen. For distribution and habitat, this species is commonly found in coastal Queensland, Australia, including K'gari (also called Fraser Island). Since the mid-2000s, it has been increasingly observed in Sydney, New South Wales. It was first recorded in Tasmania in the 1990s, and in Victoria by the 2010s. It is also commonly found in forested areas of Norfolk Island, where it is suspected to have been introduced from Queensland via nursery plant stock during the mid-to-late 20th century, and had become common across the island by 1988. Methana marginalis has also been recorded in Buho Cave in General Luna, Surigao del Norte, the Philippines, and in New Zealand. This species is typically found under the bark of dead trees and among foliage, and is especially common in banana plantations. By the 2000s, it was increasingly reported to be adapting to live inside Australian homes, where it outcompetes the German cockroach.
