The Carolina mantis is a species of praying mantis of the subfamily Stagmomantinae.
The Chinese mantis is a species of mantis native to Asia and the nearby islands. In 1896, this species was accidentally introduced by a nursery tender at Mt. Airy near Philadelphia, United States. Tenodera sinensis often is erroneously referred to as Tenodera aridifolia sinensis because it was at first described as a subspecies of Tenodera aridifolia, but Tenodera sinensis is now established as a full species.
The European mantis is a large hemimetabolic insect in the family of the Mantidae ('mantids'), which is the largest family of the order Mantodea (mantises). Their common name praying mantis is derived from the distinctive posture of the first pair of legs that can be observed in animals in repose. It resembles a praying attitude. Both males and females have elongated bodies with two pairs of wings. The most striking features that all Mantodea share are a very mobile, triangular head with large compound eyes and their first pair of legs, which is highly modified for the efficient capture and restraint of fast-moving or flying prey.
Miomantis caffra is a species of praying mantis native to southern Africa. It appeared in New Zealand in 1978, and was found more recently in Portugal and Los Angeles, USA, likely spread through the exotic pet trade. Females are facultatively parthenogenetic and unmated females can produce viable offspring.
Ant mimicry or myrmecomorphy is mimicry of ants by other organisms; it has evolved over 70 times. Ants are abundant all over the world, and potential predators that rely on vision to identify their prey, such as birds and wasps, normally avoid them, because they are either unpalatable or aggressive. Some arthropods mimic ants to escape predation, while some predators of ants, especially spiders, mimic them anatomically and behaviourally in aggressive mimicry. Ant mimicry has existed almost as long as ants themselves; the earliest ant mimics in the fossil record appear in the mid Cretaceous alongside the earliest ants.
Iris oratoria, known by the common name Mediterranean mantis, due to humans first studying it in lands around the Mediterranean Sea, is a species of praying mantis. Its range is expanding in the Middle East, Western Asia and the United States.
Phyllocrania paradoxa, common name ghost mantis, is a small species of mantis from Africa remarkable for its leaf-like body. It is one of the three species in the genus Phyllocrania. It is known for its distinct and exclusive camouflaged appearance of a dry weathered leaf.
Litaneutria minor, or the agile ground mantis or minor ground mantid, is native to the drier regions of North America. L. minor is found in the United States in Colorado, Arizona to Mexico, and the eastern regions of Washington to California. They also can be found in Canada in the southern Okanagan Valley and are Canada's only native mantis. They are very active hunters and will be seen running across the ground from early spring to late summer.
Sphodromantis viridis is a species of praying mantis that is kept worldwide as a pet. Its common names include African mantis, giant African mantis, and bush mantis.
Hierodula patellifera, common name giant Asian mantis, Asian mantis, Indochina mantis or Harabiro Mantis, is a species of praying mantis belonging to genus Hierodula.
Deroplatys desiccata, known by the common name giant dead leaf mantis, is a praying mantis from Southeast Asia. This is the type species of genus Deroplatys.
Deroplatys lobata, common name Southeast Asian dead leaf mantis or dead leaf mantis, is a species of praying mantis that inhabits Thailand, Java, Borneo, Indonesia, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula.
Dead leaf mantis is a common name given to various species of praying mantis that mimic dead leaves. It is most often used in reference to species within genus Deroplatys because of their popularity as exotic pets. Examples include D. desiccata, D. lobata, and D. philippinica. Other species to which the term may apply include Acanthops falcataria, A. falcata, and Phyllocrania paradoxa.
Acanthops falcataria, common name South American dead leaf mantis, is a species of mantis in the family Acanthopidae. It is not to be confused with Acanthops falcata, a different species in the same genus that is often referred to with the same common name.
Sphodromantis lineola, common name African mantis or African praying mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa sometimes raised in captivity. S. lineola is often colored green, however they can also be colored different types of brown. The brown colored individuals have also been observed with purple colored eyes. It may be distinguished from S. baccettii by the absence of blue-black spots on its forearms.
Pseudovates peruviana, common name Peruvian stick mantis, is a medium-sized species of praying mantis endemic to Peru.
Orthodera novaezealandiae, known as the New Zealand mantis or the New Zealand praying mantis, is a species of praying mantis which is, as both the scientific name and common names suggest, indigenous and endemic to New Zealand.
Acanthops is a genus of mantises in the family Acanthopidae, containing 20 species that can be found in Central and South America.
Acanthops royi is a species of praying mantis in the family Acanthopidae and is one of many mantis from various genera that resembles a dead leaf.
Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. They have triangular heads with bulging eyes supported on flexible necks. Their elongated bodies may or may not have wings, but all Mantodea have forelegs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey; their upright posture, while remaining stationary with forearms folded, has led to the common name praying mantis.
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