Inside the head is a small brain that coordinates the various body functions. On the thorax, all cockroaches have three pairs of legs. Adults of most of the domestic species have two pairs of wings, although one species, the oriental cockroach, has poorly developed wings in both sexes. Even though they have wings, these pests are poor flyers. They do have excellent running abilities, however.
Cockroaches can even defy the law of gravity and crawl across the wall or ceiling.
There is a large plate-like structure on the thorax, just behind the head. This structure, the pronotum , has color patterns that distinguish several cockroach species so it is an important anatomical feature. The abdomen of the cockroach houses the reproductive system. The eggs are enclosed in a tough egg case which protects them from drying out. The female of one species, the German cockroach, carries the egg case around with her until the eggs within it are nearly ready to hatch.