Saltoblattella montistabularis

Description

Saltoblattella montistabularis is a species of jumping cockroach known only from Table Mountain near Cape Town, South Africa. Both the species and genus were newly described in 2009. Researchers nicknamed the species leaproach. Its jumping mechanism is similar in anatomical features and in performance to grasshoppers with which it shares its habitat. Like grasshoppers, it is able to jump between grass and sedge stems. Its ability to jump is unique among the approximately 4,000 known species of cockroaches.