Popa spurca
Encyclopedia
Popa spurca, also known as the African twig mantis, is a species
of praying mantis native to Africa
. It takes its common name
from its resemblance to twig
from a woody plant
and grows up to 8 centimetres (3.1 in) long if female or 7 cm (2.8 in) long if male. P. spurca is the only species in the genus Popa.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of praying mantis native to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. It takes its common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
from its resemblance to twig
Twig
A twig is a small thin terminal branch of a woody plant. Twigs are critically important in identification of trees, shrubs and vines, especially in wintertime. The buds on the twig are an important diagnostic characteristic, as are the abscission scars where the leaves have fallen away...
from a woody plant
Woody plant
A woody plant is a plant that uses wood as its structural tissue. These are typically perennial plants whose stems and larger roots are reinforced with wood produced adjacent to the vascular tissues. The main stem, larger branches, and roots of these plants are usually covered by a layer of...
and grows up to 8 centimetres (3.1 in) long if female or 7 cm (2.8 in) long if male. P. spurca is the only species in the genus Popa.