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Group influence on water conservation in the giant Madagascar hissing‐cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa (Dictyoptera: Blaberidae)

Abstract. . Under laboratory conditions the hissing‐cockroach Gromphadorhina portentosa (Schaum) forms clusters, which appears to be an adaptive behaviour to help reduce water loss. Adults grouped together retain water nearly twice as effectively as isolated individuals. This ‘group effect’ complements the cockroach's large body size (small surface area to volume ratio) to lower the rate of water loss still further. Despite a modest 28% tolerance limit for weight loss during dehydration, adult females survive absolute drying conditions of 0% relative humidity without food and free water for at least a month, showing their impressive capacity for water retention. Rates of water loss of immature adults correlate with size, and no transition temperature is detected in females. To replenish water stores, cockroaches drank liquid water; there is no evidence for water gain by water vapour absorption. The profound impact exerted by the ‘group’ for water conservation suggests that members of this species live huddled together in nature, particularly during the long tropical dry season in order to conserve water, and this adds to previous evidence for the existence of a probable social structure.