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''Phyllocrania paradoxa'',
PhasmidsinCyberspace.com 2005
PrayingMantid.co.uk
2006 Bugman Educational Entoprises
Compared to many other mantis, praying mantises, the ghost mantis is a "miniature species" growing to only about long.
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.
''Phyllocrania paradoxa'' is camouflaged so as to appear as dead, dried-up leaf material.
exotic-pets.co.uk It has an elongated head, a flattened, extended prothorax and leaf-like protrusions from its limbs. The mantis also has a forewing that looks like a desiccated leaf, and the "creases" in the wings are actually shadings of pigment. 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. If threatened, big nymphs and adult females adopt thanatosis, i.e. they play dead, whereas adult males run or fly away.
Mantis Study Group Newsletter ''P. paradoxa'' oothecae can hatch out up to three dozen young. 1st and 2nd instar nymphs of this species are dark colored and use
File:Phyllocrania paradoxa Ootheca.jpg, Ghost mantis ootheca
File:Phyllocrania Paradoxa Subadult.JPG, Sub-adult female ghost mantis
File:Phyllocrania Paradoxa Subadult Detail.JPG, Sub-adult female ghost mantis
File:Phyllocrania Paradoxa w rückenschild.jpg, Carapace of a sub-adult female ghost mantis
File:Phyllocrania Paradoxa W Octellen.JPG, Female ghost mantis, ocellus
File:Phyllocrania Paradoxa F Subadult.jpg, Sub-adult female ghost mantis
File:Phyllocrania Paradoxa M Flügelansätze.JPG, Sub-adult male ghost mantis's wing-buds
File:Phyllocrania Paradoxa W Flügelansätze.JPG, Sub-adult female ghost mantis's wing-buds
The cervical sclerites of Mantodea discussed in the context of dictyopteran phylogeny
by Frank Wieland, ''Entomologische Abhandlungen'' 63, ''Museum für Tierkunde Dresden'', 2006
Bolton Museum and Archive Service
2007 InsectaCulture Videos of ''Phyllocrania paradoxa''
Ghost mantis care sheet
Deadlymantis.com
This site have some amazing pictures of praying mantis and information on multiple species. Also, there are links to supplies for rearing and exotic live specimens.
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
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
''Phyllocrania'' is a genus of mantis in the family Hymenopodidae, containing three species, '' Phyllocrania illudens'', '' Phyllocrania insignis'', ''Phyllocrania paradoxa''.
See also
*List of mantis genera and species
*Dead leaf mantis
Dead ...
''. It is known for its distinct and exclusive camouflaged appearance of a dry weathered leaf. pawsforthoughtpetcentres.co.ukPhasmidsinCyberspace.com 2005
PrayingMantid.co.uk
2006 Bugman Educational Entoprises
Description
Compared to many other mantis, praying mantises, the ghost mantis is a "miniature species" growing to only about long.
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.
''Phyllocrania paradoxa'' is camouflaged so as to appear as dead, dried-up leaf material.exotic-pets.co.uk It has an elongated head, a flattened, extended prothorax and leaf-like protrusions from its limbs. The mantis also has a forewing that looks like a desiccated leaf, and the "creases" in the wings are actually shadings of pigment. 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. If threatened, big nymphs and adult females adopt thanatosis, i.e. they play dead, whereas adult males run or fly away.
Mantis Study Group Newsletter ''P. paradoxa'' oothecae can hatch out up to three dozen young. 1st and 2nd instar nymphs of this species are dark colored and use
ant mimicry
Ant mimicry or myrmecomorphy is mimicry of ants by other organisms. 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 un ...
as a defense.
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. 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 thickerantenna
Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves
* Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...
e 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 appendage
An appendage (or outgrowth) is an external body part, or natural prolongation, that protrudes from an organism's body.
In arthropods, an appendage refers to any of the homologous body parts that may extend from a body segment, including anten ...
s. 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 antenna
Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves
* Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...
e 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
The Congo Basin (french: Bassin du Congo) is the sedimentary basin of the Congo River. The Congo Basin is located in Central Africa, in a region known as west equatorial Africa. The Congo Basin region is sometimes known simply as the Congo. It con ...
, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea
Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...
, Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...
, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
, Tanzania, Togo, Transvaal, Uganda and Zimbabwe. It is also found in South Europe
Southern Europe is the southern region of Europe. It is also known as Mediterranean Europe, as its geography is essentially marked by the Mediterranean Sea. Definitions of Southern Europe include some or all of these countries and regions: Alba ...
.
Habitat
Ghost mantis inhabit dry areas, bushes, shrubbes, trees in the open.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 theirjuvenile
Juvenile may refer to:
*Juvenile status, or minor (law), prior to adulthood
*Juvenile (organism)
*Juvenile (rapper) (born 1975), American rapper
* ''Juvenile'' (2000 film), Japanese film
* ''Juvenile'' (2017 film)
*Juvenile (greyhounds), a greyho ...
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.
Gallery
See also
* List of mantis genera and species *Dead Leaf Mantis
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 '' ...
*''Extatosoma tiaratum
''Extatosoma tiaratum'', commonly known as the spiny leaf insect, the giant prickly stick insect, Macleay's spectre, or the Australian walking stick, is a large species of Australian stick insect endemic to Australia. The species has the Phasmi ...
''
Bibliography
*For a technical discussion of an aspect of this species' anatomy refer tThe cervical sclerites of Mantodea discussed in the context of dictyopteran phylogeny
by Frank Wieland, ''Entomologische Abhandlungen'' 63, ''Museum für Tierkunde Dresden'', 2006
References
External links
Bolton Museum and Archive Service
2007 InsectaCulture Videos of ''Phyllocrania paradoxa''
Ghost mantis care sheet
Deadlymantis.com
This site have some amazing pictures of praying mantis and information on multiple species. Also, there are links to supplies for rearing and exotic live specimens.
External links
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q4121024 Hymenopodidae Mantodea of Africa Mantodea of Europe Insects of Angola Insects of West Africa Insects of Cameroon Insects of the Central African Republic Insects of the Comoros Insects of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Insects of Ethiopia Insects of Gabon Insects of Kenya Insects of Madagascar Insects of Malawi Insects of Mozambique Insects of Namibia Insects of the Republic of the Congo Insects of Somalia Insects of South Africa Insects of Sudan Insects of Tanzania Insects of Uganda Insects of Zimbabwe Insect rearing Insects described in 1838 tr:Phyllocrania