Sphodromantis

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Sphodromantis
African praying mantis (Sphodromantis gastrica)

African praying mantis ( Sphodromantis gastrica )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Mantis (Mantodea)
Family : Mantidae
Subfamily : Mantinae
Tribe : Paramantini
Genre : Sphodromantis
Scientific name
Sphodromantis
Stål , 1871

The genus Sphodromantis belongs to the family Mantidae within the order of the fishing horrors (Mantodea). Prominent species of the genus are the African praying mantis ( S. gastrica ), the Ghana praying mantis ( S. lineola ) and the African giant mantis ( S. viridis ).

features

Male of Sphodromantis baccettii

The species of the genus Sphodromantis are comparatively large and powerfully built fishing horrors, which visually correspond to the usual image of the individuals of the order. Many species reach a length of a good 60 to 80 millimeters, whereby the African giant mantis ( S. viridis ) can also reach a length of about 100 millimeters. As is common with fishing horrors, the males of all species usually remain smaller than the females. Further distinguishing features of both sexes of all species that are typical for mantis are the body structure, which is narrower in the males, the length of the wings, each provided with a white point in both sexes, which in the males goes beyond the end of the abdomen , while that of the females end here and the number of abdominal segments, which is eight in males and six in females. The basic color of the species is green, beige or brown, although this depends on several factors and the color can also be changed after a molt. This serves to adapt to the subsurface if necessary. There is a yellow color on the inside of the tentacles that serves as a threatening gesture. The species Sphodromantis baccettii also has a black spot on the inside of the tibia of both tentacles. As with many fishing horrors, the abdomen of young animals is curved upwards, while it is straight in adult animals. The species of the genus are usually difficult to distinguish from one another with certainty.

Similar species

The similar species of the closely related genus Hierodula , here as an example H. patellifera , lack the secondary ocular hump.

The terrors of the genus Sphodromantis are particularly similar to the terrors of the genus Hierodula, which are mainly found in Asia . Both genera belong to the tribe Paramantini and are accordingly closely related to each other. A definite distinguishing feature is the existing in the species of the genus Sphodromantis and missing in the genus Hierodula humps between the two eyes on which the ocelli are located. Otherwise almost all species of the subfamily Mantinae have an almost identical physique, which is why similar representatives can be found here, such as the European praying mantis ( Mantis religiosa ).

Occurrence

African giant mantis ( Sphodromantis viridis ) on the Rio Guadaiza river in southern Spain

All species of the genus are distributed over the entire continent of Africa with the exception of the Sahara . The African giant mantis ( S. viridis ) also lives in parts of the coastal areas of the Mediterranean in North Africa and presumably as a neozoon in the Middle East and southern parts of Europe , including the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands . Preferred habitats for the species are particularly bushy areas and forests. There the species lurk for prey in plants and in the branches of trees. Individual specimens can occasionally be found as cultural followers in the settlement area.

Way of life

Larva of Ghana Mantis ( S. lineola ) with seized cricket ( Acheta domesticus ).

The representatives of the genus practice a way of life typical of fishing fright, i. H. As ambulance hunters, they usually remain motionless in their habitat and wait for possible prey. These are then packed with the thorny tentacles in a matter of milliseconds and then consumed. Other arthropods of the right size come into question as prey . Successful killing of smaller vertebrates , including small reptiles and amphibians , rodents and, when the opportunity arises, small fish , has also been observed in larger specimens . The terrors defend themselves against possible predators with a threatening gesture or, if necessary, with their hunting weapons (thorny tentacles and mandibles).

Reproduction

Ootheca the African Riesengottesanbeterin ( S. viridis )

As with all fishing horrors, the species of the genus Sphodromantis are hemimetabolic insects . So they grow up by molting. The number of moults in females is usually around seven and in males it is usually around six. However, both genders of the Ghana praying mantis ( S. lineola ) and the African praying mantis ( S. gastrica ) need ten molting before they reach adulthood. Both sexes reach sexual maturity about two weeks after the last moult. The females, which are mostly true to their location, attract the flying males by means of pheromones , which can be perceived by them even from a great distance. The actual pairing can take several hours. Cannibalism during or after mating on the part of the females , which is often associated with mating terror, can also occur in the genus Sphodromantis , although this occurs more frequently in captivity than in the wild. As a result, the males try to escape the females as quickly as possible after mating, if they can. Several fertilized oothecs are then deposited. Unmated females also occasionally lay unfertilized oothecae, generally the females of the genus produce their first ootheca three to four weeks after the adult moult. 100 to 150 young animals can then hatch from a fertilized ootheca and eventually grow up.

Terrariums

A young female of the form Sphodromantis sp. "Blue Flash"

Some species of the genus Sphodromantis , including in particular the African praying mantis ( S. gastrica ), the Ghana praying mantis ( S. lineola ) and the African giant mantis ( S. viridis ) and more rarely others, such as S. baccettii , enjoy great popularity Terrarium animals. This can be explained by the robustness and ease of care as well as the comparatively large size of the species. In addition, the species are quite easy to mate in captivity, which is why offspring of various species are available in stores. This increases the supply and also makes it easier to care for the animals. In addition to the species already mentioned, the form Sphodromantis sp. "Blue Flash" likes to be kept and often bred. This form is an unknown species of the genus from Congo, which, similar to Sphodromantis baccettii, has two spots on the inside of the tentacles for the purpose of threatening gestures, which appear here in a bluish shimmer, which gives this shape its name .

Systematics

The genus Sphodromantis , described by Carl Stål in 1871, consists of 39 species. The type species is the African giant mantis ( S. viridis ). All known species belonging to the genus are:

As of November 20, 2019

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Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Information and husbandry report on the species of the genus Sphodromantis on the website of Exotic-Pets.co.uk ( Link )
  2. ↑ a b c d e Information and husbandry report on the species of the genus Sphodromantis on the Mantisinc website ( Link (archive) )
  3. ↑ a b c d Information and husbandry report on the species of the genus Sphodromantis on the website of Interaquaristik ( Link )
  4. ↑ a b c d Information about the species of the genus Sphodromantis on the website of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) ( Link )
  5. ↑ Description and husbandry report of Sphodromantis baccettii on the Keeping Insects website ( Link )
  6. ↑ a b Matthias Schneider: Insects in the terrarium. Praying mantises, stick insects & Co. Kosmos (Franckh-Kosmos), 1st edition, 2012, p. 39, ISBN 978-3440-12272-3 .
  7. ↑ Claudia Heßler, Ingrid and Rudolf Bischoff, Michael Meyer: Mantiden - Fascinating Lauerjäger. 2nd corrected and enlarged edition. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main 2008, p. 111.
  8. ↑ Information about the African giant mantis on the website of pyrgus.de ( Link )
  9. ↑ a b c d Information and husbandry report on the species of the genus Sphodromantis on the Mantid Kingdom website ( Link )
  10. ↑ Description and husbandry report of the Ghana praying mantis on the M&M Wüst website ( Link )
  11. ↑ Description and husbandry report of the African praying mantis on the M&M Wüst website ( link ).
  12. ↑ Information and husbandry report on the form Sphodromantis sp. "Blue Flash" on the website of Exotic-Pets.co.uk ( Link )
  13. ↑ Systematics of the genus Shodromantis on the website of Mantodea Species File ( Link )

Web links

Commons : Sphodromantis  - collection of images, videos and audio files