Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is this an American roach? (Periplaneta americana)?

I just found a roach in my house, for the first time ever. I took pictures to find out what kind of roach it is. I've compared it to all roach pictures on wikipedia, and it looks the most like American roach. Now that wouldn't be weird if I didn't live in Croatia. I'd like to be sure, just cos I'm curious about trivial stuff like that .

What makes me uncertain is that they seem completely identical, except for the dots on the head. All pictures of American roaches online that I could found showed a head that has two dark dots on it. My roach didn't have that. So I'm wondering if there are any bug experts out there who can help - is this a real American roach, or something only very similar, some European sort?

Here are pictures of my roach:
img132.imageshack.us/i/zohar4.jpg/
img31.imageshack.us/i/zohar2.jpg/
img15.imageshack.us/i/zohar3.jpg/
img17.imageshack.us/i/zohar1.jpg/

And pictures of American roaches, from wikipedia:
www.staringspestandrodentcontrol.com/files/images/American-cockroach.preview.jpg
www.loco2travel.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/cockroach.jpg
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Cockroachcloseup.jpg/800px-Cockroachcloseup.jpg
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Amerikanische_Gro%C3%9Fschabe_1.JPG

What do you think?

It looks like like an American roach, but it looks smaller than your standard American roach. American roaches are found worldwide so it could easily be one. The name is misleading , some claim "American" roaches are technically an African species. That's my two cents worth.

Aaah, I didn't know they were common outside America. This all makes more sense if they are. Maybe this was a young one, if it's not so big? I don't know how it works.
Anyway thanks for the tip!