Giant cockroaches thought extinct 80 years ago suddenly appear in Australia

A biology student at the University of Sydney in Australia has made a surprise discovery of a giant cockroach belonging to the wood-eating cockroach species Panesthia lata , which was thought to have been extinct since the 1930s.

This large wingless wood-eating cockroach, scientifically named Panesthia lata, was discovered by Maxim Adams under rocks at the base of a tree in North Bay, Lord Howe Island, Australia.

Maxim Adams and Nicholas Carlile under the banyan tree where they made the surprise discovery of this cockroach.

The survival of this cockroach species is great news for scientists, as it has been more than 80 years since it was last seen. People thought they were extinct.

These wood-eating cockroaches once lived all over Lord Howe Island but began to disappear after the introduction of rats to the island in 1918.

'It's amazing that this species has survived as it's been more than 80 years since they were last seen,' said Lord Howe Island official Atticus Fleming .

'Lord Howe Island is truly an amazing place, home to 1,600 native invertebrate species , half of which are found nowhere else in the world,' he added.

The cockroach Panesthia lata is 22-40 mm long, with a reddish or black body that has a metallic sheen.

Australia is home to 11 species of Panesthia wood cockroaches. These insects burrow into mountains and feed on rotting logs in forests on Australia's north and east coasts. Their guts contain microorganisms that help digest the cellulose in wood.

According to scientists, wood-eating cockroaches are important for maintaining a balanced ecosystem on the island because they help speed up the decomposition of rotten wood and are also a food source for other animals.