The Australian Cockroach

The nymph (or immature) is at the upper left, and the adult is on the lower right.  Many roach species have strong mandibles that are capable of producing postmortem damage to human skin that resembles abrasions or chemical burns.   In many cases these abrasions appear as small pits in the skin. Additionally, roaches often consume human hair, and may frequently remove entire hair shafts during their feeding.  The roach species most commonly encountered in forensic investigations are the American, Australian, and the German.