Blattodea

/blæˈtoʊ.di.ə/ noun

Definition

The scientific order containing all cockroaches and termites, one of the largest orders of insects.

Etymology

From Latin blatta (cockroach) combined with the Greek suffix -odea (resembling). This modern taxonomic designation reflects understanding that cockroaches and termites share a common ancestry.

Kelly Says

Termites are essentially social cockroaches—they're so closely related that scientists put them in the same order, and some termites still share more similarities with cockroaches than we once realized.

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