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.
Mantidae is one of the largest families in the order of praying mantises, based on the type species Mantis religiosa; however, most genera are tropical or subtropical. Historically, this was the only family in the order, and many references still use the term "mantid" to refer to any mantis. Technically, however, "mantid" refers only to members of the family Mantidae, and not the 14 remaining families of mantises. Some of the most recent classifications have promoted a number of the mantid subfamilies to the rank of family, e.g. Iridopterygidae, Sibyllidae, Tarachodidae, Thespidae, and Toxoderidae, while other classifications have reduced the number of subfamilies without elevating them to higher rank.
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.
Creobroter is a genus of flower mantises in the tribe Hymenopodini; species are concentrated in Asia. The name comes from the Greek kreo-, meaning "flesh") and broter" meaning "eating", therefore, "flesh-eating", an apt name for a predatory insect. Both sexes have long wings and are capable fliers. Full-grown males are about 3 to 4 cm in length; females are about 4 to 5 cm.
Tenodera angustipennis is a species of mantis native to Asia and nearby areas of Oceania. The species was introduced and became established in the eastern United States. Tenodera angustipennis was noticed as early as 1921 in Aberdeen, Maryland, but that occurrence was not noted in a published record until 1933.
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.
Ameles decolor is a species of small praying mantis native to the west Mediterranean and North Africa. A. decolor was first described by entomologist Domenico Cyrillo in 1787, and its current classification was established in 1976 by Karl Harz and Alfred Peter Kaltenbach. A. decolor presents as a small, light brown mantis with females tending to appear larger than their male counterparts. The mating patterns of A. decolor are considered some of the most complex amongst praying mantises, with males presenting two different styles of courtship. Their habitat favours shrublands, grasslands, and wooded areas.
Ameles spallanzania, common name European dwarf mantis, is a species of praying mantis.
Stagmomantis californica, common name California mantis, is a species of praying mantis in the family Mantidae that is native to the western United States.
Idolomantis is a monotypic genus of praying mantises in the family Empusidae. It contains the single species, Idolomantis diabolica, commonly known as the devil's flower mantis or giant devil's flower mantis. It is one of the largest species of praying mantises, and is possibly the largest that mimics flowers.
Iris is a genus of praying mantis found in Africa, Asia, and Southern Europe with one species, Iris oratoria, being introduced to North America in the south-western United States.
Stagmomantis limbata, common name bordered mantis, bosque mantis, Arizona mantis, or New Mexico praying mantis, is a species of praying mantis native to North America, most prevalent in the south-western United States. This beneficial insect is green or beige in color and grows up to around 3 inches long.
Empusa pennata, or the conehead mantis, is a species of praying mantis in genus Empusa native to the Mediterranean Region. It can be found in Portugal, Spain, southern France, Italy and on the mediterranean coasts of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Turkey and Egypt. Because of its cryptic nature, or also possibly because of its fragmented, low-density populations, it is rarely encountered in the wild.
Empusa fasciata is a species of praying mantis in the genus Empusa in the order Mantodea.
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.
Deimatic behaviour or startle display means any pattern of bluffing behaviour in an animal that lacks strong defences, such as suddenly displaying conspicuous eyespots, to scare off or momentarily distract a predator, thus giving the prey animal an opportunity to escape. The term deimatic or dymantic originates from the Greek δειματόω (deimatóo), meaning "to frighten".
Pseudocreobotra ocellata, known as the African flower mantis or with other species as the spiny flower mantis, is a flower mantis native to Africa, ranging from Angola and South Africa in the south to Uganda in the east and Senegal in the west. It was described by the French naturalist Palisot de Beauvois in 1805.
Iris polystictica is a species of praying mantis found in Central Asia, Caucasus, southeastern Ukraine, southern Siberia, China, and Mongolia. It is the only species of the mantis genus Iris that is found in Russia.
