Mantid Species Research Articles

The hindgut microbiota of praying mantids is highly variable and includes both prey-associated and host-specific microbes.

Praying mantids are predators that consume a wide variety of insects. While the gut microbiome of carnivorous mammals is distinct from that of omnivores and herbivores, the role of the gut microbiome among predatory insects is relatively understudied. Praying mantids are the closest known relatives to termites and cockroaches, which are known for their diverse gut microbiota. However, little is known about the mantid gut microbiota or their importance to host health. In this work, we report the results of a 16S rRNA gene-based study of gut microbiome composition in adults and late-instar larvae of three mantid species. We found that the praying mantis gut microbiome exhibits substantial variation in bacterial diversity and community composition. The hindgut of praying mantids were often dominated by microbes that are present in low abundance or not found in the guts of their insect prey. Future studies will explore the role of these microbes in the digestion of the dietary substrates and/or the degradation of toxins produced by their insect prey.

FIRST RECORD OF MANTIDS (MANTODEA: INSECTA) FROM INDIA

Extensive survey of mantids in the northeastern Uttar Pradesh was conducted. Two mantid species were recorded for the first time from the target area, viz.: Pyrgomantis pallida, 1917 and Bactromantis mexicana.

New genus and species of flower mantids (Insecta: Mantodea: Hymenopodidae) from Vietnam

A peculiar new genus and species of the flower mantids (Mantodea, Hymenopodidae) from South-Eastern Vietnam, Parapsychomantis vietnamensis gen. et sp. nov., is described. The new genus belongs to Acromantinae, Acromantini, as indicated by the diagnostic characters of the tribe and its similarity to Rhomantis Giglio-Tos, 1915, Psychomantis Giglio-Tos, 1915 and Oligomantis Giglio-Tos, 1915. It differs from all of the abovementioned genera by the combination of small vertex process, small medial lobes on mesofemora and by dense, irregular cross-veins network on the forewings. The distribution of the morphological characters directly related to crypsis (leg lobes) among members of the tribe is reviewed and illustrated. The genitalia of the new genus are illustrated and described. Comparison with other species of Acromantini with known genitalia shows noticeable differences in shape of structures and level of sclerotization indicating an understudied diversity of this complex in the tribe. The finding presents an interesting biogeographical problem because all morphologically similar genera are restricted to the south of Sundaland area. Possible explanations include insufficiently dense sampling of the adjacent areas, misleading morphology and past biogeographical factors related to the distribution of Sundaland plant communities. A comprehensive revision of the subfamily is necessary to explain the evolution of crypsis characters and biogeographic distribution. We also present a modified key to the genera and species of Acromantini.

Cohabiting With the Enemy: Comparative Population Ecology of Two Mantid Species in a Successional Old Field.

Two praying mantids, Tenodera aridifolia sinensis Saussure and Tenodera angustipennis Saussure, are commonly found in the same old-field habitats in the eastern United States and in much of temperate zone Asia. Naturally established populations of these two species were studied intensively over two consecutive years (2010 and 2011) in an old field in southeastern Virginia, to compare life history features relevant to how they coexist, or whether one or the other of them is likely to be more successful in the same habitat. Populations of both species declined about 50% from 2010 to 2011 (adults from 47 to 21 for T. a. sinensis; 37 to 20 for T. angustipennis), but T. a. sinensis oviposited 10 oothecae and T. angustipennis only one in 2011. Tenodera a. sinensis was more abundant in the study site in both years, hatched earlier, and matured and oviposited earlier than T. angustipennis. Fewer females of both species survived to maturity in 2011 than in 2010, possibly indicating a reduction in prey or habitat suitability in 2011. We suggest that T. angustipennis will always be at a disadvantage as a result of its smaller body size, because of interspecific predation (and potentially competition) from its congener, lower clutch size, and susceptibility to egg parasitism. Further, environmental variability across field habitats and years profoundly affects populations of both species in successional old fields.

Bird Predation By Praying Mantises: A Global Perspective

ABSTRACT We review 147 incidents of the capture of small birds by mantids (order Mantodea, family Mantidae). This has been documented in 13 different countries, on all continents except Antarctica. We found records of predation on birds by 12 mantid species (in the genera Coptopteryx, Hierodula, Mantis, Miomantis, Polyspilota, Sphodromantis, Stagmatoptera, Stagmomantis, and Tenodera). Small birds in the orders Apodiformes and Passeriformes, representing 24 identified species from 14 families (Acanthizidae, Acrocephalidae, Certhiidae, Estrildidae, Maluridae, Meliphagidae, Muscicapidae, Nectariniidae, Parulidae, Phylloscopidae, Scotocercidae, Trochilidae, Tyrannidae, and Vireonidae), were found as prey. Most reports (>70% of observed incidents) are from the USA, where mantids have often been seen capturing hummingbirds attracted to food sources in gardens, i.e., hummingbird feeders or hummingbird-pollinated plants. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) was the species most frequently reported...

Distribution and ecology of the flightless bush-cricket Poecilimon schmidtii at its northern range margin

AbstractThe distributional patterns and ecology of the ponto-mediterranean species

A revision of Apteromantis (Mantodea: Mantidae, Amelinae): a comprehensive approach to manage old taxonomic and conservation problems .

The genus Apteromantis Werner, 1931 comprises two species of wingless mantids, the Iberian A. aptera (Fuente, 1894) and the North African A. bolivari (Werner, 1929). Although A. aptera and A. bolivari have been traditionally considered as separate and valid species, their external appearance is quite similar and no comprehensive taxonomic study has analyzed their morphological and genetic characteristics. This taxonomic uncertainty has important implications for conservation because A. aptera is considered an Iberian endemic and the only praying mantis protected by international laws. In this study, we apply a comprehensive approach, including quantitative morphological and molecular analyses, to shed new light on the taxonomic and conservation status of the genus Apteromantis and the putative species. We have found that the Iberian and North African specimens analyzed herein significantly differ in female head shape, male genitalia morphology and several other traits related to body size. Molecular data suggest the presence of two main lineages, with sequence divergence rates of approximately 4 %, which are within the range reported for other well defined insect species. Overall, this study supports that A. aptera and A. bolivari are valid species despite their ecological and morphological similarity and highlights the importance of comprehensive approaches to resolve old taxonomic and conservation problems.

A new species of Horismenus Walker (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) from ootheca of Liturgusa Saussure (Mantodea, Liturgusidae) from Central Amazonas, Brazil

A new species of Horismenus Walker, H. liturgusae Hansson & Schoeninger (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), is described from material reared from an ootheca of an unidentified mantid species of genus Liturgusa Saussure (Mantodea: Liturgusidae). The new species is compared to H. argus Hansson, a species it is very similar to. Horismenus liturgusae sp. n. is gregarious and 49 adult specimens developed in the ootheca. This is the first record of a Horismenus species parasitizing mantids, and the first record of a Horismenus species from an ootheca.

A list of praying mantids (Mantodea, Insecta) of Vietnam

The mantids were collected by net and light trap from defferent localities in Vietnam during the period from 2000 to warch 2010. The Giglio - Tos & Beier classification of Mantodea was applied for identifying collected mantid specimens. Deposited in Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR). A total of 50 Identified mantid species belong to 31 genera of two families Hymenopodidae (12 species) and Mantidae (38 species). In spite of the widespread species Mantis religiosa, all mantids collected are of Oriental fauna. Among 50 recorded species, 16 species are widespread in Oriental Region, 14 species distributed in range of Indian - Indochina - Malaya peninsula and South East Asian archipelagos, 10 species were distributed spread in South China area and 10 ones were only recorded in Vietnam. This paper deals with 18 new records for Vietnam, namely Theopropus elegans, Acromantis formosana, Acromantis indica, Odontomantis monticola, Theopompa servillei, Toxodera denticulata, Paratoxodera meggitti, Haania doroshenkoi, Haania vitalisi, Gimantis authaemon, Gonypeta brigittae, Bimantis malaccana, Deiphobe incisa, Deiphobe yunnanensis, Tenodera fasciata, Rhombodera basalis, Rhombodera valida and Hierodula membranacea.

Allometry and ontogeny in Callibia diana Stål (Mantodea: Acanthopidae)

The life-cycle of Callibia diana Stål is described and linear and geometric morphometrics are used for studying allometrics and shape changes throughout this neotropical mantid species' life-cycle. Significant changes were expected in the allometry and shape of the raptorial leg and abdomen, given the importance of hunting and reproduction. The allometric slopes were obtained by using total length as the independent variable. Geometric morphometrics of landmarks were used for frontal femur and tibia. Hunting and reproduction-related structures had the steepest slopes and positive allometries. Negative growth of both disc width and head width found in the last moulting event may be a consequence of prothoracic muscle growth which is responsible for predatory strike strength. The tibial claw and femur of the raptorial leg become larger, while their spines become more orthogonal to the longitudinal axes which may facilitate prey retention. These changes in mantid shape throughout ontogeny were consistent and suggested the resource allocation and development programming of the body that improved reaching distance and prey retention.

Identification of the molecular origin and development of a panzootic caused by Beauveria bassiana in praying mantis populations in eastern China

A panzootic in praying mantid species Tenodera sinensis and Statilia maculate, caused by Beauveria bassiana, occurred in north, southwest and southeast regions of Anhui Province, eastern China in Autumn, 2009. A 3-d principal component analysis (PCA) of 123 isolates from three sites revealed that the B. bassiana populations were heterogeneous with obvious dominance. Furthermore, the causal source of the panzootic in Anhui was shown to be polyphyletic. The populations were homogenized into homogenous subunits for investigation of genetic structure by inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Variance was greater than 70%, largely due to genetic differences within populations and subpopulations. Genetic distances and genetic differentiation were negatively associated with geographic distances and it was speculated that this was due to the effects of monsoons and topography. Mantid isolates were divided into five pathotypes based on a two-way cluster analysis of genetic distance. Pathotype I consisted of the predominant subpopulations of Huangcangyu and Chashui populations, with a genetic distance of 0.120 and gene flow up to 1.833. This pathotype caused a widespread epizootic in north and southwest Anhui, and Pathotype III caused enzootic at Site A in September and then epizootic in October, while the other three pathotypes caused enzootics at all three investigation sites. The widespread epizootics and isolated enzootics composed the polyphyletic panzootic in Anhui. A strong gene flow between isolates from the two mantid species was identified, resulting in negligible gene differentiation. This indicated a lack of host specificity in mantid isolates of B. bassiana.

KELIMPAHAN DAN KEANEKARAGAMAN SPESIES SERANGGA PREDATOR DAN PARASITOID Aphis gossypii DI SUMATERA SELATAN

This study was aimed to analysis abundance and species diversity of predatory insects and parasitoid of Aphis gossypii from lowland and highland areas of South Sumatra. Survey of was conducted in 11 vegetable centers of South Sumatra. The results showed that 20 species of predatory insects and 3 species of parasitoids were found from the survey. The predatory insects consisted of 15 species of coccinellid beetles, two species of syrphids, and one species of chamaemyiid, mantid and staphylinid. Parasitoid found were 2 species of Aphidiidae (Diaretiella rapae and Aphidius sp.) and a species of Aphelinidae (Aphelinus sp.). The highest abundance of the predator was found in Soak (42.61 larvae and adults) and the highest abundance of the parasitoid was found in Talang Buruk (25.99 adults). The highest species diversity of the predator and the parasitoid were found in Soak (15 species and H’= 0.94) and in Talang Buruk (2 species and H’ = 0.27), respectively. Abundance and species diversity of the predators and parasitoids were higher in the dry season than those in rainy season. Thus, the abundance and species diversity of the predators and parasiotids were higher in the lowland than highland areas in South Sumatra, while the seasons affected the abundance and species diversity of the predators and parasitoids.

Redescription of Hierodula coarctata Saussure (Mantodea: Mantidae) from Maharashtra, India

In the current study a mantid species, Hierodula coarctata (Saussure, 1869) is redescribed. The study is based on 15 male and 5 female specimens (live and preserved) collected from different parts of Maharashtra, India during 2002-2004. Striking color variations, structure of male genitalia and other important morphological characters are discussed and illustrated. The species is redescribed as the previous reported description was insufficiently short and does not provide any information on color variations and character-based differences between the sexes.

Intraspecific interactions and their effect on habitat utilisation by the praying mantid Ciulfina biseriata (Mantodea: Liturgusidae)

Tree trunks are spatially separated habitat patches for the tree-running mantid Ciulfina biseriata (Mantodea: Liturgusidae). This paper investigates how intraspecific interactions may affect spacing patterns in C. biseriata. Many mantid species inhabit tree trunk surfaces, but little is known about how they interact with this type of habitat. Behavioural observations and choice tests investigated the effect of a conspecific on habitat utilisation. Field surveys were used to investigate patterns of movement in the field. The decision to inhabit a tree trunk may be affected by the presence of a conspecific. Whereas adult males seek out females when selecting habitat, females will actively avoid males. Habitat choice decisions are primarily based on aspects of their mating system rather than on competition for space or food resources. The behavioural interactions of C. biseriata are described, including novel observations of same-sex mating behaviour in adult males.

Stage-Specific Defensive Strategies of Three Mantid Species, Tenodera aridifolia, Hierodura patellifera, and Statilia maculata, Against a Natural Enemy, Takydromus tachydromoides

Abstract Three mantid species, Tenodera aridifolia (Stoll), Hierodura patellifera (Serville), and Statilia maculata Thunberg, of varying body size and habitats, exhibited defensive reactions when faced with a natural enemy, the Japanese skink, Takydromus tachydromoides (Schlegel). Defensive reactions were analyzed as primary or secondary defenses for all stages. Of the primary defenses, the cryptic reaction was the main defensive reaction: mantids lowered the prothorax and simultaneously stretched the prothoracic legs, the antennae were arranged forward, and the abdomen was sometimes extended posteriorly. The frequency of the subcryptic reaction as a primary defense tended to increase with more advanced developmental stage. The primary defensive strategy switched at specific developmental stage and also depended on the distance between the prey mantid and the natural enemy. In some instars, T. aridifolia and H. patellifera displayed the cryptic reaction when the mantid—foe distance was long, whereas they displayed the subcryptic reaction when the mantid—foe distance was short. However, S. maculata did not switch defense strategies based on the mantid—foe distance. The secondary defenses of young instar nymphs of T. aridifolia and H. patellifera were primarily defensive reactions, whereas the frequency of aggressive reactions tended to increase with developmental stage. S. maculata did not display aggressive reactions during any stage. We concluded that the primary and secondary defenses used by mantids depend on the developmental stage and mantid—foe distance. Moreover, three mantid species that vary in both body size and habitat showed different defensive reactions when faced with a natural enemy.

The auditory system of last instars in Gryllus bimaculatus DeGeer

Abstract Aspects of the auditory development of Gryllus bimaculatus are compared with those of other Orthopterans and Mantodea. Auditory receptor cell branching patterns and first‐order auditory interneurones of last‐instar crickets are morphologically very similar to adult cells; auditory thresholds are 30–45 dB higher in last instars than in adults; the ears of most ultimate nymphs lack directionality; and the tympana of last instars are not set apart clearly from the surrounding cuticle, are still thick, backed by a thick layer of epithelium, and lack microtrichia. Thus, the development of the auditory system from last‐instar to adult shows close similarities between G. bimaculatus and Teleogryllus commodus but not to other Orthopteran or Mantid species. This supports the hypothesis that the pattern of post‐embryonic development of the auditory system in crickets differs significantly from that in other Orthopterans and in Mantodea.

Sound generation in Mantis religiosa (Mantodea: Mantidae): stridulatory structures and acoustic signal

Abstract Several species of mantids perform defensive displays during close-range encounters with predators. In adult Mantis religiosa, this display entails both visual and acoustic components, the latter being abdominoalary stridulation. Stridulatory modifications of the abdomen and hindwings and acoustic properties of the defensive sounds of M. religiosa are characterized here for the first time. Defensive sounds are generated via an abdominoalary mechanism involving contact between teeth found on the longitudinal veins of the metathoracic wings and pegs located on the abdominal pleura. Defensive stridulation in M. religiosa is highly variable in both spectral and time domains. Inter-individual variability may be stochastically greater than intra-individual variability for at least one acoustic parameter (peak frequency). The loudest portion of a sound emission (syllable), or down-pulse, has an average duration of 195 ms and features an abrupt rise to maximum amplitude. Inter-syllabic intervals are irre...

Mate location, antennal morphology, and ecology in two praying mantids (Insecta: Mantodea)

The sensory systems employed by animals to locate potential mates are diverse. Among insects, chemical and acoustic signals are commonly used over long distances, with visual signals playing a role in close-range orientation and courtship. Within groups that exhibit a scramble competition mating system, selection on mate searching ability will be particularly strong. Clearly, aspects of the species ecology, such as habitat complexity and population density, will be crucial in the evolution of mate searching systems and sexual signals. Praying mantids exhibit both chemical and visual sexual signalling behaviour, and also vary in their ecology. This study employs scanning electron microscopy of antennal sensory morphology and behavioural assays to investigate the relative importance of chemical and visual signalling in two Australian praying mantid species: Pseudomantis albofimbriata and Ciulfina biseriata. As predicted, the high level of habitat complexity, low population density and strong male dispersal capability of P. albofimbriata corresponded to the use of airborne sex pheromones. Conversely, the open habitat, high population density, and poor dispersal of C. biseriata corresponded to a greater reliance on short-range visual cues for mate location.

Fauna of Protected Areas - 22: Updated checklist of praying mantid species (Insecta: Mantodea) from Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, Andhra Pradesh

Fauna of Protected Areas - 22: Updated checklist of praying mantid species (Insecta: Mantodea) from Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, Andhra Pradesh

Phylogeny of Mantodea based on molecular data: evolution of a charismatic predator

Abstract. The previously unknown phylogenetic relationships among Mantodea (praying mantids) were inferred from DNA sequence data. Five genes (16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, cytochrome oxidase II and histone 3) were sequenced for sixty‐three taxa representing major mantid lineages and outgroups. The monophyly of mantid families and subfamilies was tested under varying parameter settings using parsimony and Bayesian analyses. The analyses revealed the paraphyly of Hymenopodidae, Iridopterygidae, Mantidae, and Thespidae and the monophyly of the Amorphoscelidae subfamily Paraoxypilinae. All represented subfamilies of Iridopterygidae and Mantidae appear paraphyletic. Mantoididae is sister group to the rest of the sampled mantid taxa. Lineages congruent with current subfamilial taxonomy include Paraoxypilinae, Hoplocoryphinae, Hymenopodinae, Acromantinae and Oligonicinae. The mantid hunting strategy is defined as either generalist, cursorial or ambush predators. By mapping hunting strategy onto our phylogeny, we reconstructed the ancestral predatory condition as generalist hunting, with three independent shifts to cursorial hunting and one shift to ambush hunting, associated with the largest radiation of mantid species.