The brown cockroach (Periplaneta brunnea) is a species of cockroach in the family Blattidae. It is probably originally native to Africa, but today it has a circumtropical distribution, having been widely introduced. In cooler climates it can only survive indoors, and it is considered a household pest. This cockroach is similar in appearance to the American cockroach (P. americana), but darker in color and with thicker, wider, triangular cerci. It is a reddish brown color and has fully developed wings. It reaches up to 4 centimeters in length. It is an omnivore.