Kalmar "Periplaneta americana" tana nufin nau'in kyankyasai da aka fi sani da kyankyasai na Amurka. Wani babban kwaro ne mai launin ja-ja-jaja wanda ake samu a ko'ina cikin Arewa, Tsakiya, da Kudancin Amirka. Kalmar "periplaneta" ta samo asali ne daga kalmomin Helenanci "peri," ma'ana "a kusa," da "planeta," ma'ana "mai yawo," yayin da "americana" yana nufin kasancewarsa a cikin Amurka.
