Phyllocrania paradoxa

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Phyllocrania paradoxa
Phyllocrania Paradoxa M Kopfdetail.JPG
Male ghost mantis in one of the older nymph stages, probably sub-adult
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Mantodea
Family: Hymenopodidae
Genus: Phyllocrania
Species:
P. paradoxa
Binomial name
Phyllocrania paradoxa
(Burmeister, 1838)

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. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Description

Two adult female ghost mantises with a 50 cent euro coin (diameter 24.25 mm) for size comparison Phyllocrania paradoxa Morphology.jpg
Two adult female ghost mantises with a 50 cent euro coin (diameter 24.25 mm) for size comparison

Compared to many other praying mantises, the ghost mantis is a "miniature species" [3] growing to only about 45 to 50 millimetres (1.8 to 2.0 in) long. [2]

It comes in various brownish shades from very dark brown (almost black) to greenish gray. An individual's colors change between molts and are also dependent on light and humidity levels. [2] [3]

Phyllocrania paradoxa is camouflaged so as to appear as dead, dried-up leaf material. [5] It has an elongated head, a flattened, extended prothorax and leaf-like protrusions from its limbs. [5] The mantis also has a forewing that looks like a desiccated leaf, [1] and the "creases" in the wings are actually shadings of pigment. [4] In the wild, the ghost praying mantis effectively blends in against dead leaves. Predators such as birds tend to overlook insects that resemble their background, and by staying still the ghost praying mantis can go unnoticed. [6]

If threatened, big nymphs and adult females adopt thanatosis, i.e. they play dead, whereas adult males run or fly away. [7]

P. paradoxa oothecae can hatch out up to three dozen young. [8] 1st and 2nd instar nymphs of this species are dark colored and use ant mimicry as a defense. [7]

Sexual Dimorphism

As with most or all species of mantis, Phyllocrania paradoxa is sexually dimorphic, with females being larger than males. Females have six abdominal segments. Males are shorter, narrower, and have eight-segmented abdomens. [3] At the 5th instar and above males are thinner than females and have smaller appendages (lateral of the abdomen). At the 6th instar and above their crowns are different. When adult, males have longer and thicker antennae than females and transparent wings, which are longer than the abdomen. They are good flyers and are significantly thinner than the females. At the 5th instar and above females are more compact than males and have bigger appendages. At the 6th instar and above the crown of females are as wide as their head and more line and smoother than the male`s crown. When adult, females are significantly more compact than males, with shorter antennae and wings that do not cover the abdomen.

Range

Phyllocrania paradoxa have a wide range across the African continent and its islands and can be found in Angola, Cameroon, Cape Province, Congo basin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Transvaal, Uganda and Zimbabwe. [2] [9] [10] It is also found in South Europe.

Habitat

Ghost mantis inhabit dry areas, bushes, shrubbes, trees in the open. [11]

In captivity

The ghost mantis is one of the most popular species of mantis in the mantis hobby because of its appearance, its easy difficulty in keeping, and relatively long lifespan. It is not very aggressive toward other members of its species, unlike many praying mantises, meaning older nymphs can be kept together without issue. However, they should be separated near their juvenile stage. Female ghost mantises can live up to eight months as adults, while males live a much shorter life. However, in some instances ghost mantises have been known to live up to eighteen months in captivity.

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

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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.

Hymenopodidae Family of praying mantises

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<i>Miomantis caffra</i> Species of praying mantis

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<i>Iris oratoria</i> Species of praying mantis

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<i>Archimantis latistyla</i> Species of praying mantis

Archimantis latistyla, commonly known as the large brown mantis is a species of mantid native to Australia. The large brown mantis has two subspecies, a widespread subspecies and the stick mantis ghost from Bundabergs Turtle Sands. The stick mantis ghosts are not as aggressive as the widespread species but have a defense display used to make the mantis appear larger by flinging its front legs into the air and putting its head down along with its antennae. Large brown mantids are light brown with short winged female and a long winged male. The subspecies from Bundaberg is a pale cream white with a yellow and black eye in between the arms. The large brown mantis female is short winged - her wings reach only half her abdomen and she is not able to fly—but the long winged male has wings that cover the entire abdomen. They have two pairs of wings - the top pair are the wing covers and the bottom wings enable the mantis to fly.

<i>Litaneutria minor</i> Species of praying mantis

Litaneutria minor, or the agile ground mantis, 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.

<i>Pseudovates chlorophaea</i> Species of praying mantis

Pseudovates chlorophaea, with the common name Texas unicorn mantis, is a species of praying mantis in the family Mantidae. It is native to the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

<i>Ameles spallanzania</i> Species of praying mantis

Ameles spallanzania, common name European dwarf mantis, is a species of praying mantis.

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.

<i>Deroplatys lobata</i> Species of praying mantis

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.

<i>Deroplatys</i> Genus of praying mantises

Deroplatys is a genus of mantis in the family Deroplatyidae. They are native to Asia and several share the common name of dead leaf mantis.

<i>Idolomantis</i> Genus of praying mantises

Idolomantis is a genus of praying mantises in the family Empusidae. It is represented by a 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

<i>Acanthops falcataria</i> Species of praying mantis

Acanthops falcataria, common name South American dead leaf mantis, is a species of praying 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.

<i>Pseudoharpax virescens</i> Species of praying mantis

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<i>Empusa fasciata</i> Species of praying mantis

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Mantis Order of insects

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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-06-08. Retrieved 2008-07-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) pawsforthoughtpetcentres.co.uk
  2. 1 2 3 4 Archived 2008-06-08 at the Wayback Machine PhasmidsinCyberspace.com 2005
  3. 1 2 3 4 Archived 2008-11-21 at the Wayback Machine PrayingMantid.co.uk
  4. 1 2 2006 Bugman Educational Entoprises
  5. 1 2 exotic-pets.co.uk
  6. "Praying mantis good for the garden". The Mercury News. 2017-02-08. Retrieved 2017-11-22.
  7. 1 2 Mantis Study Group Newsletter
  8. USA Mantis
  9. Phyllocrania paradoxa(in Swedish
  10. The Hymenopodid Praying Mantises (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae) of South Africa Compiled by Alfred P. Kaltenbach, Naturhistorisches Museum in Wien, Burgring 7, A-1014 Wien, Austria
  11. http://www.mantisonline.de/index.php?lan=en&show=species_mantids_view&content=a:5:{s:7:%22subshow%22;s:15:%22species_mantids%22;s:10:%22level_left%22;s:3:%22pqr%22;s:5:%22genus%22;s:12:%22phyllocrania%22;s:18:%22level_left_species%22;s:5:%22index%22;s:7:%22species%22;s:8:%22paradoxa%22;} [ dead link ]