Gromphadorhina - latte di blatta?

Ciao
ho visto una foto con spiegato che una femmina di Gromphadhorina portentosa secerne un "gel" dall'addome per nutrire i piccoli, vorrei saperne di più.
E' una sorta di integrazione alimentare o ne costituisce il pasto, inoltre che altre blatte lo fanno?

grazie

Anna Williford, Barbara Stay, and Debashish Bhattacharya
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
Copyright © BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC.

"Cockroach species show different degrees of maternal contribution to the developing offspring. In this study, we identify a multigene family that encodes water-soluble proteins that are a major component of nutritive "Milk" in the cockroach, Diploptera punctata. This gene family is associated with the evolution of a new trait, viviparity, in which the offspring receive nutrition during the gestation period. Twenty-five distinct Milk complementary DNAs were cloned and partially characterized. These complementary DNAs encode 22 distinct Milk peptides, each of length 171 amino acids, including a 16-amino acid signal peptide sequence. Southern blot analysis confirms the presence of multiple copies of Milk genes in D. punctata. Northern analysis indicates tissue- and stage-specific Milk gene expression. Examination of the deduced amino acid sequences identifies the presence of structurally conserved regions diagnostic of the lipocalin protein family. The shared exon/intron structure of one of the Milk loci with lipocalin genes further supports a close evolutionary relationship between these sequences."

Blatodea Culture Group

"..In contrast, species in the family Blaberidae plus a few Blattellidae, have membranous oothecae which are incubated in a brood sac within the female's body until the eggs hatch. One blaberid, Diploptera punctata, has a greatly reduced oothecal membrane which does not cover the eggs. Remarkably this species produces a nutritious 'milk' from the wall of the brood sac on which the developing embryos feed."


A new mode of parental care in cockroaches

"A new form of maternal provisioning of newly hatched nymphs is described in the ovoviviparous cockroach Gromphadorhina portentosa. Shortly after expelling the hatching egg case, the female exudes from her abdominal tip a whitish, translucent material on which neonates actively feed. Integumentary gland cells lining the brood sac are the most likely source of the secretion. This form of maternal provisioning may not be restricted to the Madagascar hissing cockroach; a glandular brood sac similar to that of G. portentosa is found in at least three additional ovoviviparous cockroaches."


p.s. Ti ho corretto il titolo, attento all'oggetto e alla scrittura dei nomi scientifici

Molto gentile, grazie

Figurati, ho preferito copiarti alcune fonti piuttosto che spiegarti personalmente la risposta, perchè, nonostante siano fonti straniere, argomentano abbastanza bene la questione e possono servirti da spunto di ricerca.