Question

Describe labium of cockroach

Answer 1

Hint: To deduce an answer, we must first understand the typical meaning of labium. Labium in plants means lower lip and in animals, it means fused mouthpart in insects. This means that in a cockroach also it is a part of the mouth which has specific functions.

Complete answer:
The mouthparts of cockroaches have been divided into several parts. They are namely the labrum, mandibles, maxillae, labium, and the hypopharynx.
To understand the function of the labium, we must first understand the function of each of the parts in detail. The labrum is also known as the upper lip. It consists of a flattened cuticle and helps to hold the food in the correct position when the cockroach feeds.
The mandible is actually a pair of appendages that help the cockroach to crush and cut the food and also acts as a defense against rivals.
The maxillae in cockroaches are paired and serve the primary function of tasting food. The hypopharynx is closely associated with salivary glands and functions as the tongue that helps in the movement of food in the preoral cavity.
The labium however resembles closely a quadrilateral that is formed due to the fusion of paired secondary maxillae. Their primary function is to manipulate food during mastication.

Note: Cockroaches are the true definition of the survival of the fittest. Their exoskeleton is very strong and also flexible and thus they are hard to kill. They have exhibited extreme cold and heat, radiation, and poor diet. They have the ability to live among toxic bacteria and are pre-adapted to insecticides.