Species Of Mantis Research Articles

Species delimitation and DNA barcoding for Chinese Mantodea (Insecta, Dictyoptera).

DNA barcoding has been proposed as a rapid and reliable tool for animal identification and species delineation. The 5' end of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene (COI-5P) was sequenced for 318 specimens of 55 mantis species. Of these, 44 species had not been sequenced before, thus being new COI-5P barcode sequences to science. Another 61 COI-5P barcode sequences comprising five species were retrieved from the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD; www.boldsystems.org). Five species delimitation algorithms were employed to sort barcode sequences into Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs), namely the distance-based Barcode Index Number (BIN) System, Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC), a Java program that uses an explicit, determinate algorithm to define Molecular Operational Taxonomic Unit (jMOTU), Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning (ASAP), and Bayesian implementation of the Poisson Tree Processes model (bPTP). All species, except Hierodulachinensis Werner, 1929, were recovered as monophyletic on the neighbor-joining (NJ) tree. For the final dataset, 379 COI-5P barcode sequences were assigned to 68 BINs. Fifty-five out of 68 BINs obtained were new to BOLD. The low level of BIN overlap with other nations highlights the importance of constructing a regional DNA barcode reference library. The algorithms ASAP, jMOTU, bPTP, and GMYC clustered barcode sequences into 32, 58, 68, and 60 MOTUs, respectively. All species delimitation algorithms (except ASAP analysis) split Anaxarchasinensis Beier, 1933, Anaxarchazhengi Ren & Wang, 1994, H.chinensis, Spilomantisoccipitalis (Westwood, 1889), Titanodulaformosana Giglio-Tos, 1912 into more than one MOTUs. All algorithms merged Hierodula sp. BCM-2019 and H.chinensis into the same MOTU, as for Tenoderaaridifolia Stoll, 1813 and Tenoderasinensis Saussure, 1871. More accurate identification results need to be supplemented by detailed morphological classification.

New data on the distribution of Rhombodera latipronotum (Mantodea, Mantidae) in Southeast Asia, with species redescription and biogeographic considerations

This study updates the known distribution of Rhombodera latipronotum Zhang, 1990, a mantis species previously documented only in the Yunnan province of China. New findings confirm its presence in the Guangxi autonomous region and the Indo-Chinese states of Laos and Vietnam. The research incorporates both direct analysis of collected specimens and data gathered from citizen-science platforms. These methodologies have allowed for a redefinition of the species’ range in Southeast Asia and have provided new insights into its external morphology and intraspecific variability. Due to its recent description and the limited availability of scientific literature, R. latipronotum remains poorly understood. This study overcomes these limitations by providing the first detailed description of both sexes, highlighting the intraspecific variability of the specimens, and discussing the potential existence of distinct populations within the species. The research also highlights the immense biodiversity within the surveyed regions, emphasizing the need for extensive exploration to fully catalogue the species of the order Mantodea. Understanding the distribution and ecological roles of these mantids is essential for their conservation. The study’s findings contribute to a deeper knowledge of R. latipronotum and underscore the importance of continued biological surveys and conservation efforts in these biodiverse yet underexplored areas of Southeast Asia.

Description and Genetic Barcode of Arria stanleyi sp. nov. (Mantodea: Haaniidae), a new moss-mimicking mantis species from Vietnam.

A new species of moss-mimicking mantis, Arria stanleyi sp. nov. is described based on female and male specimens collected in Tam Dao, Vietnam. The new species shows morphological characteristics vastly different from most other species in the genus Arria (Stal, 1877), with Arria muscoamicta (Unnahachote et al. 2021) having the most similar characteristics. Its discovery may outline a distant evolutionary branch compared to other species within the genus due to its geographic isolation and unique morphology. Genetic barcode is presented, and behavior and habitat are described.

Neuropeptides from a praying mantis: what the loss of pyrokinins and tryptopyrokinins suggests about the endocrine functions of these peptides.

Neuropeptides play important roles in insects, but in many cases their functions remain obscure. Comparative neuropeptidome analyses may provide clues to what these functions might be. Praying mantises are predators and close relatives of cockroaches that are scavengers. Cockroach neuropeptidomes are well established, but little is known about mantis neuropeptides. The recently published genome assembly of the praying mantis Tenodera sinensis makes it Possible to change that. The genome assembly from T. sinensis was analyzed for the presence of genes coding neuropeptides. For comparison, publicly available short read archives from this and other mantis species were also examined for the presence and expression of neuropeptides. As a rule, the neuropeptidomes of the Mantodea and Blattodea are almost identical; praying mantises and cockroaches use very similar neuropeptides. However, there is one surprising exception. Praying mantises lack the receptors for pyrokinins, including those for the tryptopyrokinins. No typical pyrokinin genes were found, but some species do have a tryptopyrokinin gene, in others this has also been lost and, in one species it is a speudogene. For most praying mantises there is no information where tryptopyrokinin is expressed, but in Deroplatys truncata it is in the thorax and thus not in the suboesophageal ganglion, as in other insects. In the genomic short read archives of two species-out of 52-sequences were found for a tryptopyrokinin specific receptor. The phylogenetic position of those two species implies that the receptor gene was independently lost on multiple occasions. The loss of the tryptopyrokinin gene also happened more than once. The multiple independent losses of the pyrokinin receptors in mantises suggests that these receptors are irrelevant in praying mantises. This is very surprising, since expression of tryptopyrokinin is very strongly conserved in two neuroendocrine cells in the suboeosphageal ganglion. In those species for which this is known, the expression of its receptor is in the salivary gland. As a neuroendocrine, tryptopyrokinin is unlikely to acutely regulate salivation, which in other insects is regulated by well characterized neurons. If the action of tryptopyrokinin were to prime the salivary gland for subsequent salivation, it would make perfect sense for a praying mantis to lose this capacity, as they can not anticipate when they will catch their next prey. Priming the salivary gland days before it is actually needed would be energetically costly. The other pyrokinins are known to facilitate feeding and may in a similar fashion prime muscles needed for moving to the food source and digesting it. This hypothesis provides a good explanation as to why praying mantises do not need pyrokinins, and also what the function of these ubiquitous arthropod neuropeptides may be.

Mismatched menu: the incompatibility of adult black soldier flies as praying mantis feed.

Praying mantises are known for their striking predatory behavior and are becoming increasingly popular with hobbyists and for scientific research. As generalist predators with a wide range of insect-based diets, it is crucial to identify suitable prey options, especially for restricted environments such as terrariums, which are limited compared to the wild. This study investigates the use of adult black soldier flies (BSF; Hermetia illucens; Linnaeus, 1758) as a sole food source for two mantis species, Chlidonoptera lestoni (Roy & Leston, 1975) and Hierodula patellifera (Serville, 1839), while assessing their suitability and potential challenges associated with their digestion. The BSF is widely recognized for its high nutritional value and ease of rearing, making it an attractive prey candidate for mantises. Although natural capture behavior and high feed acceptance have been observed, adult BSF seem not to be suitable as sole feed for both mantises. Our results suggest that imbalances in macronutrients, particularly the protein/fat ratio, may contribute to high mortality. The use of BSF as a mono-diet could also limit access to a variety of beneficial microorganisms that are essential for maintaining a healthy gut microbiota in mantises, thereby affecting their immunity and well-being in captivity. In addition, the possible presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the BSF could also have affected the mantises' survival. Future studies should focus on the nutritional adjustment of BSF, as their chemical composition is strongly dependent on the feed they are reared on.

Mandible composition and properties in two selected praying mantises (Insecta, Mantodea).

Insects process their food with their cuticle-based mouthparts. These feeding structures reflect their diversity and can, in some cases, showcase adaptations in material composition, mechanical properties, and shape to suit their specific dietary preferences. To pave the way to deeply understand the interaction between mouthparts and food and to determine potential adaptations of the structures to the food, this study focuses on the mandibles of two praying mantis species. Gongylus gongylodes feeds mainly on Diptera, and Sphodromantis lineola forages on larger prey. Employing scanning electron microscopy, the mandibular morphologies were analyzed. The degree of the cuticle tanning was tested using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Furthermore, the contents of transition and alkaline earth metals in the mandible cuticle were studied using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and the mechanical properties tested by nanoindentation. We found that S. lineola mandibles show pronounced gradients of Young's modulus and hardness from the basis to the tip, which might be an adaptation against high stresses during biting and chewing. G. gongylodes, in contrast, did not show pronounced gradients, which may indicate that there is less stress involved in feeding-necessary to test in future studies. The mechanical properties of manidibles in both species are related to the degree of cuticle tanning but also positively correlate with the content of magnesium. These findings enrich our understanding of insect cuticle biology but also present new sets of data on praying mantis structures.

Rapid Diagnostic PCR Assay Method for Species Identification of Mantidis Ootheca (Sangpiaoxiao) Based on Cytochrom C Oxidase I (COI) Barcode Analysis.

Mantidis Ootheca (sangpiaoxiao), the egg case of the mantis, is a type of insect-derived traditional medicine widely used in East Asia. However, species identification based on egg morphology is challenging, leading to the distribution of counterfeit and adulterated products. The use of inauthentic ingredients can pose serious health risks to consumers. This study aimed to develop PCR markers that can rapidly and accurately differentiate between authentic and counterfeit Mantidis Ootheca. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) region was sequenced in thirteen samples from four mantis species: Tenodera angustipennis, Statilia maculata, Hierodula patellifera, and T. sinensis. Four sets of SCAR primers were designed based on species-specific nucleotide polymorphisms, and a multiplex SCAR assay was developed by combining all sets of the primers. The sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) primers successfully produced amplicons for each target species, even with low-DNA templates or templates containing DNA from multiple samples. No amplification was observed for nontarget species. This study presents a novel approach for identifying authentic Mantidis Ootheca species using DNA-based diagnostic marker assays, which enable rapid and precise species identification. The SCAR assays developed in this study will aid in maintaining quality control and promoting the standardization of commercial Mantidis Ootheca products.

Differential Survival and Background Selection in Cryptic Trunk-Dwelling Arthropods in Fire-Prone Environments.

AbstractFire events change background color, impairing camouflage strategies. However, selection for polymorphic populations may increase camouflage and survival by reducing predation risks. We conducted experiments addressing background selection and predation pressures on the effectiveness of arthropod camouflage against predation in burned and unburned trunks. We tested color and luminance contrasts, as well as trunk preferences, in a color polymorphic grasshopper and praying mantis species with melanic and brown morphs, and a spider species with a single dark color. To expand the scope of our study, we used two distinct visual models of avian predators: ultraviolet sensitive and violet sensitive. We also performed predation experiments using theoretical prey exhibiting black and brown color and human "predators" to understand the effectiveness of color polymorphism against different trunk conditions. Melanic morphs had lower achromatic contrast in burned backgrounds for both visual systems, suggesting that melanism promotes advantages against predation over long distances. However, only spiders actively selected the low-contrasting burned trunks, indicating habitat specialization. The predation experiments showed that black models benefited from camouflage on burned trunks. Conversely, brown models elicited more time and reduced distance in predator searching compared with the black targets on unburned trunks. We suggest that postfire effects can enhance color contrasts and increase predation over color-mismatching individuals, which translates into selection pressures for color polymorphism and matching background choices.

Mantises (Insecta: Mantodea) of the southwestern part of Odesa Region (Ukraine)

In the southwestern part of Odesa Region, 167 localities were investigated. These are mainly steppe and meadow areas with varying degrees of grazing pressure, which have been preserved along the valleys of small rivers, in the coastal strips of lagoons and lakes, along gulches, as well as upland areas in the Landscape Reserve ‘Tarutynskyi Step’. Five species of mantises have been identified. Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) was found in 28 sites (16.8% of the total number). Its highest relative abundance was 0.58 indiv./series on a steppe area with moderate grazing in the Landscape Reserve ‘Tarutynskyi Step’. Hierodula transcaucasica Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 was recorded by us in the region for the first time on August 12, 2019. The species was found almost throughout the research territory, except for its northwestern part. It is easiest to detect at the time of year when there are no leaves on the trees, and its oothecae are clearly visible on the branches. In total, we found more than 200 oothecae of this species. Ameles heldreichi Brunner, 1882 was recorded for Budzhak for the first time. It turned out to be the most numerous species of mantis in the region, but its distribution is very uneven. It was found in 39 sites (23.4% of the total number). It is most common in pristine areas on the coast of the Tuzly Lagoons (11 out of 24 sites) with a relative number of up to 6.38 indiv./series and on the slopes of the Kohylnyk river valley from the village of Pavlivka to the headwaters of the Sasyk Lagoon (11 out of 14 sites) with a relative population of up to 6.29 indiv./series. Iris polystictica Fischer-Waldheim, 1846 was found by us in 3 sites: on the right steppe slope of the Kohylnyk river valley within Artsyz, on the steppe high bank of the Sasyk Lagoon near the village of Hlyboke and on the halophyte meadows along the coast of the Dzhantshei Lagoon and the Malyi Sasyk Lagoon. A relative number everywhere did not exceed 0.32–0.33 indiv./series. In total, the species was recorded in 13 sites (7.8% of the total number). In addition, a single female was found in Izmail. Regarding Empusa fasciata Brulle, 1832, we currently know of only four records in the study area in different years in one locality — on the Zhebriianivska ridge in the vicinity of Vylkove. Despite more or less monotonous natural conditions throughout the study area, autochthonous species of mantis are absent between the Kohylnyk and the Yalpuh rivers, and A. heldreichi is also absent in the middle reaches of the Kohylnyk and the Sarata rivers, including within the Landscape Reserve ‘Tarutynskyi Step’ and its vicinity. In our opinion, their absence may be due to the peculiarities of agriculture in these areas, in particular, the frequent burning of fields and pastures. 23 figs, 65 refs.

Analysis of potential niche shifts in alien pairs of mantis species (Insecta, Mantodea) with comments on the current taxonomic and ecological knowledge

Due to the pet and goods trade, several animals are now present in regions outside of their traditional native ranges. A peculiar situation has arisen in mantises, insects that are becoming more popular as pets: two genera (Hierodula and Tenodera) have begun to spread around the world, with two Hierodula species overlapping in Europe and two Tenodera species doing the same in North America. Such an event can lead to possible competition with both local taxa and alien congeneric sister species; the latter may reduce the impact of one of the invaders. Additionally, the situation allows the comparisons of niche shifts in displaced mantises, allowing us to understand whether such animals respect general patterns shown in terrestrial ectothermic invasive species. To do this, I adapted scripts from previous publications for analyzing niche overlap (Schoener’s D), niche expansion (E), and unfilling (U) through the centroid shift, overlap, unfilling, and expansion (COUE) scheme using presence records from GBIF and iNaturalist Research-Grade observations and bioclimatic variables available in BIOCLIM, selected according to variance inflation factor (VIF) values. I also evaluated the overlap between the sister species in the non-native range with D. Overall, there was relatively high niche expansion and unfilling patterns shared among the taxa, although species tended to have low abiotic overlap between native and alien ranges, and a relatively high niche overlap was present among congeneric species in the shared non-native area. However, such analyses may be biased due to chosen variables, taxonomic uncertainty, and lack of information on mantises’ ecology; particularly, the situation regarding H. tenuidentata/transcaucasica should be monitored and clarified, given the higher potential invasion risk of these species compared to other mantises and the uncertainties regarding which populations have reached Europe. Additionally, the biology of alien mantises should be studied in more detail in both native and non-native environments given the current critical lack of information.

Arria qinlingensis sp. n., a remarkable new praying mantis from China (Mantodea: Haaniidae)

ABSTRACT A new species of mantis, Arria qinlingensis sp. n., is described based on both male and female specimens collected from Qinling Mt., China. This new species has similar external morphology to A. leigongshanensis (Ge and Chen, 2008); these two species represent a mysterious evolutionary clade in the genus Arria Stål, 1877. The discovery of this moss-mimicking mantis species represents the northernmost distribution of the genus Arria. Illustrations and ecological images of Arria species in China are presented, and the images of the final-instar nymph for both sexes of A. leigongshanensis (Ge and Chen, 2008) and the ootheca of Arria qinlingensis sp. n. are illustrated. The distribution of the two species in China is discussed and mapped. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5A945355-B76D-4EFC-9D26-36FEF2ED4D9C

Amazons Are Back: Absence of Males in a Praying Mantis from Uruguayan Savannas.

With a broad distribution throughout South America, Brunneria subaptera (Saussure)(Coptopterygidae) is the most abundant praying mantis species in Uruguay, mostly associated with grassland vegetation. Their body coloration can vary between green or brown sepia. The recent catalog of Uruguayan mantids showed that all specimens of B. subaptera from the collections in Uruguay were females, suggesting an absence of males in natural populations. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of female-only populations of B. subaptera in Uruguay. Moreover, we analyzed the genetic variation and estimated the time of the most recent common ancestor of the species. We performed bimonthly samplings in two localities in Uruguay for 1year and we sexed the individuals. We extracted DNA from the abdominal tissue of adult females and sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial cox1 gene to assess the genetic diversity and to estimate diversification times. We did not find any males in either of the studied localities. The age estimates revealed a recent origin of the species (2.33Ma), and there was no genetic differentiation between the individuals from Uruguayan localities. This absence of males of B. subaptera documented in the sampled locations suggests that the species reproduces by thelytokous parthenogenesis. This study opens promising venues for future research into reproductive strategies and polymorphism in South-American praying mantises that inhabit one of the largest areas of grasslands in the world, currently under dramatic deterioration and reduction.

Scydmaenus Latreille of Australia: Revision of species in subgenera Choleropsis Franz, Kingius Franz, Mascarensia Franz, Parallomicrus Franz, Scottiscydmaenus Franz, and description of Ascydmaenus subgen. n. (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

The Como National Park (CNP), located in the north-eastern part of the Ivory Coast, is strongly influenced by the river Como, which is eponymous for the park. Gallery forests along the river, forest islands, open grasslands, bush and tree savannas of various densities offer diverse habitats that harbor both forest and savannah praying mantis species. We present a preliminary checklist of praying mantids (Insecta: Mantodea) of the CNP. Specimens were collected in 2000 and 20172019, resulting in 35 species in 13 families. Two species, Ischnomantis werneri (Giglio-Tos 1916) and Solygia sulcatifrons (Audinet-Serville 1838), were recorded for the first time in Ivory Coast. Additional 47 species, which are expected to occur in the CNP, are listed here.

A preliminary checklist of the praying mantids of Como National Park, Ivory Coast (Insecta: Mantodea).

The Como National Park (CNP), located in the north-eastern part of the Ivory Coast, is strongly influenced by the river Como, which is eponymous for the park. Gallery forests along the river, forest islands, open grasslands, bush and tree savannas of various densities offer diverse habitats that harbor both forest and savannah praying mantis species. We present a preliminary checklist of praying mantids (Insecta: Mantodea) of the CNP. Specimens were collected in 2000 and 20172019, resulting in 35 species in 13 families. Two species, Ischnomantis werneri (Giglio-Tos 1916) and Solygia sulcatifrons (Audinet-Serville 1838), were recorded for the first time in Ivory Coast. Additional 47 species, which are expected to occur in the CNP, are listed here.

A hidden gem from Northeastern Brazil: A new species of Metaphotina Piza, 1964 (Mantodea, Acontistidae) ecologically linked to the Caatinga.

A new species of praying mantis, Metaphotina austri sp. n., is described from the Caatinga biome in Brazil. The species can be easily distinguished from its congeners by its small body size and diagnostic characters found on the head, wings, and male genitalia. Distributional data compiled from specimen labels, historical literature, and the citizen science platform iNaturalist showed that M. austri sp. n. is mainly associated with the northernmost and driest region of the Caatinga, known as the Depresso Sertaneja Setentrional. Ecological and geographical data about the new species, as well as comments on the diversity of Mantodea in the Caatinga, are provided, highlighting the importance of crowdsourced data for a more comprehensive understanding of praying mantis species distribution and their natural history.

Climatic Niche of an Invasive Mantid Species in Europe: Predicted New Areas for Species Expansion

While some species naturally expand their range by finding suitable climatic and trophic niches in new areas, others have been transported intentionally or unintentionally by humans since their journey from Africa to other continents. This phenomenon has occurred throughout history, being more prevalent at the end of the Middle Ages and at the start of the Industrial Revolution, with its frequency increasing in recent times due to globalization. Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869 is a mantis species originally distributed from India to Caucasus, that started to become more and more common in many European countries in the last few years, being considered an alien species. However, there is limited information available regarding its distribution range, habitat preference, and other ecological requirements that can help us understand its movements. We used observation data from its range, along with bioclimatic and elevation variables, to build Species Distribution Models in MaxEnt. This allowed us to analyze the species’ spatial ranges and understand and predict its distribution across Europe. Before selecting the best-fitting models, the occurrence data were spatially filtered, and bioclimatic variables tested for multicollinearity. Based on the present species distribution models, with AUC values of 0.967 for the training data and 0.960 for the test data, Hierodula tenuidentata emphasizes a coastal occurrence in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea regions, with local observations in southeastern Europe, an area that is likely to be occupied in the next few years through species expansion. Our data show that the expansion of Hierodula tenuidentata in Europe is influenced by the natural movement of the species westward combined with human introduction in some areas. It is now evident that the species’ presence in Europe is not solely based on human-aided dispersion, as was previously believed. The main variables influencing the distribution of Hierodula tenuidentata across Eurasia are temperature and precipitation, both of which have been significantly modified in recent years due to climate change.

A new report of moss-camouflaging mantis Nanomantinae in Bali, Indonesia

In 2019 we found moss praying mantis around the forest in the Bedugul Area of Bali, Indonesia. This species belongs to the family Mantidae, subfamily Nanomantinae, and predicted as member of Calofulcinia genus based on diagnostics of morphological characteristics, behavior, and habitat. Information about the morphological characteristics and data from the molecular sequencing database of the genus Calofulcinia has been very limited. In this research, the barcoding DNA of mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I (mtCOI) of the species is noted using paired primers LCO1490 and HCO2198. Based on the sequence analysis (identity matrix and phylogeny analysis), the moss mantis from Bali has low similarity and genetic relationship with other Mantodea species from GenBank database. The data indicate the moss mantis from Bali has not been reported previously. In addition, the distribution of moss mantis species in Bedugul, Bali, Indonesia has just been described and recorded.

Phylogenetic relationships and divergence dating of Mantodea using mitochondrial phylogenomics

AbstractMantodea is a predatory insect group, its members occupying a diverse array of widely distributed habitats. Praying mantis species utilize hunting strategies including remarkable mimicry and unique camouflage for hiding from natural enemies while catching their prey. The emergence of a “cyclopean ear” in mantises is thought to be a morphological innovation of the group, and an “arms race” with echolocating bats is one of the hypotheses put forward to account for the emergence of the mantis ear from a coevolutionary perspective. However, this hypothesis has not been rigorously tested because of a lack of robust higher‐level phylogeny and a detailed chronogram of Mantodea. Previous phylogenetic studies found an incongruence between traditional classification and molecular phylogenetics due to the convergent evolution of various ecomorphic strategies of the lineage. Here, we performed a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Mantodea based on data from 61 mitogenomes. Our analyses showed that the monophyly of Acanthopidae, Haaniidae, Nanomantidae, Miomantidae and Mantidea was supported. The newly updated Gonypetidae were paraphyletic, whereas Eremiaphilidae, Deroplatyidae and Toxoderidae were polyphyletic. Our molecular dating analyses inferred that Spinomantodea originated at ca. 149 Ma (Late Jurassic), whereas the origin of hearing mantises (Cernomantodea) was inferred as Early Cretaceous (119 Ma, 95% CI: 110–129 Ma). The molecular dating results indicated that the hearing organ in mantises did not arise in response to bat predation. Our study provides a robust framework for further evolutionary comparative studies of mantises.

First records of Ameles spallanzania (Rossi, 1792) with new data on the distribution of Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869 in Bulgaria (Insecta: Mantodea: Mantidae)

The praying mantis Ameles spallanzania (Rossi, 1792) is reported for the first time from Bulgaria, as well as for the Black Sea Region. New data on the current distribution in Bulgaria of an alien mantis species, Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869, is also presented.

Weather Influence on Native and Alien Mantis Dynamics and Their Abundance in the Current Climate Change Conditions

Humans have traded and transported alien species for millennia, both with and without intention to spread them to new areas. Consistent knowledge of their ecology will allow decision makers to take suitable conservation actions, with the aim of avoiding threatening native species. Praying mantids (Mantodea) are predatory insects with a high impact on local invertebrates’ fauna. An alien mantis species (Hierodula tenuidentata) could create a disequilibrium in both the local ecosystem and in autochthonous mantid species (Mantis religiosa) if it can adapt to the local ecological conditions. Through this study, we reveal that the number of Hierodula tenuidentata individuals from an Eastern European Natura 2000 site was 7.6 times higher than the number of Mantis religiosa suggesting a higher density of the allochthonous species in the study area. According to a GLM analysis, the population of Mantis religiosa, measured from August to the end of October, declines more rapidly and is negatively influenced by the number of days from the first day of the year, while the population of Hierodula tenuidentata is influenced by local weather factors. This is the first study which analyzes the influence of local weather factors (namely air temperature, precipitation, daily atmospheric pressure, daily wind direction and speed, daily cloud cover, sunshine duration and number of days from the first day of the year) on the abundance dynamic of mantises in order to understand their ecology in the current climate change influence.