Sphodromantis gastrica

Sphodromantis gastrica, with the common names African mantis or common green mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa.[1][2][3]

African mantis
Adult in the Kruger Park, South Africa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Mantodea
Family: Mantidae
Genus: Sphodromantis
Species:
S. gastrica
Binomial name
Sphodromantis gastrica
(Stål, 1858)
Synonyms
  • Mantis gastrica Stål 1858
  • Hierodula bicarinata (Saussure, 1869)
  • Sphodromantis bicarinata (Saussure, 1869)
  • Sphodromantis bioculata (Burmeister, 1838)
  • Sphodromantis occidentalis (Werner, 1906)

It averages 65–75 millimetres (2.6–3.0 in) in body length, and has a very diverse diet, hunting any prey of reasonable size.[4]

Previously classified as Hierodula bicarinata (Saussure, 1869) and as Sphodromantis guttata (Giglio-Tos, 1907), this species has been found in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, and East Africa.[5][6]

  • Dorsal aspect of a late instar female, showing wing-pads
  • Immature female
  • Sphodromantis eating bee

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2008-07-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) African Mantis
  2. African Praying Mantis
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2008-07-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) African Praying Mantis Sphodromantis gastrica, lineola, viridis and centralis
  4. Kudlanky.com
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-06-22. Retrieved 2008-07-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) The Praying Mantises (Mantodea: Mantidae) of South Africa compiled by Alfred P. Kaltenbach, Naturhistorisches Museum in Wien, Burgring 7, A-1014 Wien, Austria
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2010-06-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Working with Biodiversity - A Natural History of Tioxide


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