Cockroaches as an Emerging Invertebrate Model in Bioscience Research: Gromphadorhina portentosa

The increasing social, ethical and regulatory pressure on the use of vertebrates in bioscience research has promoted the development of alternative models. The use of invertebrate models is very common in basic research, where insects are used in many studies. Cockroaches such as Gromphadorhina portentosa have emerged as a promising model organism due to their ease of maintenance, breeding in laboratory conditions, longevity, physiological resilience, size, and ability to be manipulated for sample collection. Similarly, prior to 2010, the Periplaneta americana was widely used as a bioscience model and shares many of the attributes of the Gromphadorhina portentosa. The objective of our study was to carry out a review in which we described the biological characteristics and analyzed the application of cockroaches, and specifically Gromphadorhina portentosa, as an alternative model in bioscience research. To do so, we established the period from 2010 to 2025 to carry out the bibliographic search in international scientific databases, PubMed and Scopus, using only peer-reviewed scientific publications on cockroach applications in bioscience research. This review outlines the principal biological characteristics of cockroaches and evaluates their suitability as experimental models. Additionally, potential humane euthanasia methods are discussed. The most common applications of cockroaches in laboratory experimentation are described, and a critical analysis of their advantages and limitations as model organisms is presented. The analysis reveals significant potential for the use of cockroaches in preliminary and educational studies, as well as an opportunity to expand the diversity of species in scientific research, applying the principle of replacement of the use of animals in experimentation. The document highlights the need for protocol standardization and regulatory recognition for this species, offering an updated perspective on the state of the art regarding its rational incorporation into bioscience research.