Geomantis larvoides

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Geomantis larvoides
Geomantis larvoides, female

Geomantis larvoides , female

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Mantis (Mantodea)
Family : Mantidae
Subfamily : Miomantinae
Genre : Geomantis
Type : Geomantis larvoides
Scientific name
Geomantis larvoides
Pantel , 1896

Geomantis larvoides is a Mantis from the family of Mantidae . The species is one of only two species in the genus Geomantis and inhabits the entire Mediterranean area .

features

With a body length of a maximum of 30 millimeters (20 millimeters as males), Geomantis larvoides is one of the small species of the order of terrors. As the species name larvoides (Latin for "larvae-like") already reveals, the species is reminiscent of the larval or nymph forms of larger fishing horrors due to its physique and not least due to its small size . Another feature that reinforces this impression are the greatly shortened wings of both sexes. This peculiarity is rare in fishing horrors. The pronotum is at Geomantis larvoides serrated front of the breitesten and rear.

Similar species

Female of the gray muzzle ( Ameles decolor )

In the range of Geomantis larvoides there are other similar catching horrors , whose body size is also comparatively small. Examples of this can be found in the not closely related genus Ameles , which belongs to the same family, but belongs to the subfamily Amelinae . At least females and juveniles of species of this genus also have reduced wings, but they differ from Geomantis larvoides in that the pronotum is the widest in the middle and has imperforated edges.

Occurrence

The Mediterranean species occurs from southern Europe to the Middle East and is found in North Africa as well as on many islands in the Mediterranean . The main area of ​​distribution is probably on the Iberian Peninsula . Geomantis larvoides is ground-dwelling and prefers dry, warm and stony areas that contain at most gappy and low-growing vegetation. These include the garrigue , grasslands , sandy heaths and steppes . Unlike Geomantis algerica , the only other representative of the genus Geomantis besides G. larvoides , this species is also found in Europe.

Threat and protection

There is no information about a possible threat to the population of Geomantis larvoides . The species is not listed by the IUCN .

Way of life

Geomantis larvoides is similar to Mantis of the genera Ameles or Apteromantis (ex. Fuentes rove-Mantis ( A. aptera )) a fast runner and good jumper and hunts on the ground smaller arthropods ., Including small Hemiptera , grasshoppers , network and Fly .

Reproduction

The reproductive behavior of Geomantis larvoides has so far been little researched. A male approaches a female from behind and swings from side to side in courtship . This movement is very short and the male does not move more than two millimeters on either side. Occasionally, courtship behavior is also expanded in that the male then rolls up his abdomen in a spiral shape while at the same time approaching the female further. The approach on the part of the male does not take place in the run, but nevertheless quite quickly. To identify the species, as soon as the male has climbed the female from behind, first strokes the abdomen and then the thorax (chest area) of the female with his antennae . The subsequent pairing lasts 60 to 120 minutes. At the end of mating, the male then again strokes the female's thorax with his antennae. In Geomantis larvoides frequently placed with Mantis was associated cannibalism not observed on the part of the female during or after mating so far, but the male also leaves after mating, the female fled. The oothecae then the females at the leaf axils of dwarf shrubs attached.

Geomantis larvoides is probably univoltine . Adults can be found from June to September.

Systematics

Geomantis larvoides was first described by the French zoologist José Pantel in 1896 at the same time as the genus belonging to it, and has not undergone any name changes or changes. Geomantis larvoides is the type species genus Geomantis , which includes only two species (the other is G. algerica ). Geomantis larvoides has two subspecies:

  • Geomantis larvoides larvoides Pantel , 1896
  • Geomantis larvoides algenca Giglio-Tos , 1916

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Peter Harz: Die Orthopteren Europa , Volume 12, Series entomologica, 1969, p. 150.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g Description of Geomantis larvoides and other European fishing horrors on the website of "Mantids Axarquía" , accessed on January 24, 2020.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f Michael Chinery: Parey's book of insects , 2nd edition, Kosmos Naturführer, Kosmos (Franckh-Kosmos), 2012, p. 62, ISBN 978-3-440-13289-0 .
  4. ↑ a b c d e f Description of Geomantis larvoides on the website of "pyrgus.de" , accessed on January 24, 2020.
  5. ↑ a b c Geomantis larvoides (Pantel, 1896) from Mantodea Species File , accessed January 24, 2020.
  6. ↑ Geomantis larvoides (Pantel, 1896) at Global Biodiversity Information Facility , accessed on January 24, 2020.
  7. ↑ Geomantis larvoides (Pantel, 1896) from Fauna Europaea , accessed on January 24, 2020.

literature

  • Peter Harz: Die Orthopteren Europa , Volume 12, Series entomologica, 1969, p. 150.
  • Michael Chinery: Parey's Book of Insects , 2nd Edition, Kosmos Naturführer, Kosmos (Franckh-Kosmos), 2012, p. 62, ISBN 978-3-440-13289-0 .

Web links

Commons : Geomantis larvoides  - collection of images, videos and audio files