Cretomantidae is an extinct family of

mantises 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 ha ...

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 ha ...

. It contains at least one genus '' Cretomantis'', which is known from the Early Cretaceous

Zaza Formation The Zaza Formation is a geological formation located in Buryatia (Russia). It dates to the Lower Cretaceous period. It is Aptian in age and consists of Sandstone, sandstones, Siltstone, siltstones, Marl, marls and bituminous Shale, shales, deposi ...

of Buryatia, Russia. The genus '' Electromantis'' known from Late Cretaceous (

Santonian The Santonian is an age in the geologic timescale or a chronostratigraphic stage. It is a subdivision of the Late Cretaceous Epoch or Upper Cretaceous Series. It spans the time between 86.3 ± 0.7 mya (million years ago) and 83.6 ± 0.7 mya. The ...

)

Taimyr amber Taymyr or Taimyr may refer to: Places *Taymyr Peninsula, a peninsula in Siberia *Taymyr Gulf *Taymyra, a river in the Taymyr Peninsula *Lake Taymyr *Taymyr Island, an island in the Kara Sea *Taymyr Autonomous Okrug, a former federal subject of Rus ...

of Russia was formerly placed in this family, but is currently considered ''

incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...

'' within Mantodea.

Genera

These two genera belong to the family Cretomantidae: * † '' Cretomantis'' Gratshev & Zherikhin, 1994 * † '' Electromantis'' Gratshev & Zherikhin, 1994

References

† Prehistoric insect families {{Paleo-insect-stub