Separate homogenates of salivary systems, crops, midguts, and hindguts of adult male Cuban burrowing cockroaches, Byrsotria fumigata (Guérin), were assayed for carbohydrase activity with the substrates: starch, cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, “native chitin,” sucrose, trehalose, maltose, cellobiose, melibiose, and lactose. All substrates gave positive results with two or more homogenate sources, although α-galactosidase (melibiose) activity was very low. A midgut-secreted cellulase, active in crop and midgut, was found. Chitinase studies were extended to 5 other species. Salivary chitinase was strongest in American, Australian, Cuban, and Oriental cockroaches; midgut chitinase was strongest in Madeira and Nauphoeta cinerea (Olivier) cockroaches.
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Fisk et al. (1964) studied this question.