Sphodromantis viridis
Encyclopedia
Sphodromantis viridis is a species
of praying mantis that is kept worldwide as a pet
. Its common name
s include African mantis, giant African mantis, and bush mantis.
, but that common name is shared with not only other species in its genus
(i.e. S. belachowski
, S. centralis
, S. gastrica
, S. lineola
, etc.), but also
Miomantis caffra
and others as well.
south of the Sahara
desert
. It can also be found as an introduced species
in areas outside its original range including Israel
and Spain
.
for green) this insect ranges in color from bright green to dull brown. Females can reach 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length. Due to the sexual dimorphism
typical of mantises, the male is much smaller. Females may also be distinguished from males as they have six segmented abdomens compared to an eight segmented abdomens of the males.
As adults, both genders have a distinctive white spot on their wings. They have a yellowish color on their inner foreleg distinguishable from the black eyespot
and white dots of the European mantis
Mantis religiosa with whom it shares some range.
. Female produce an ootheca
within a few days of mating and can produce several before she ends her life cycle
. Each ootheca produces up to three hundred nymphs
when it hatches. This species has also been noted to have produced parthenogenically
.
if it is offered on a pair of tweezers
". They are also more tolerant of changes in humidity
and temperature
than are many other species.
Another breeder
of mantises opines that S. viridis:
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 that is kept worldwide as a pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
. 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...
s include African mantis, giant African mantis, and bush mantis.
Name
Sphodromantis viridis is popularly called the African mantisAfrican Mantis
African mantis and African praying mantis are common names for many species of praying mantis from Africa, especially Sphodromantis viridis and other species in genus Sphodromantis African mantis and African praying mantis are common names for many species of praying mantis from Africa,...
, but that common name is shared with not only other species in its genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
(i.e. S. belachowski
Sphodromantis belachowski
Sphodromantis belachowski, common name African mantis or African praying mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa....
, S. centralis
Sphodromantis centralis
Sphodromantis centralis, common name African mantis or Central African mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa....
, S. gastrica
Sphodromantis gastrica
Sphodromantis gastrica, common name African mantis or common green mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa. Previously classified as Hierodula bicarinata and as Sphodromantis guttata , this species has been found in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic...
, S. lineola
Sphodromantis lineola
Sphodromantis lineola, common name African mantis or African praying mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa sometimes raised in captivity. It may be distinguished from Sphodromantis baccettii by the absence of blue-black spots on its forearms....
, etc.), but also
Miomantis caffra
Miomantis caffra
Miomantis caffra is a species of praying mantis native to Southern Africa. It was discovered in Auckland, New Zealand in 1978.-Ootheca:...
and others as well.
Range
S. viridis is native to West AfricaWest Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
south of the Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
. It can also be found as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
in areas outside its original range including Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Description
Despite its scientific name ( is LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for green) this insect ranges in color from bright green to dull brown. Females can reach 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length. Due to the sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
typical of mantises, the male is much smaller. Females may also be distinguished from males as they have six segmented abdomens compared to an eight segmented abdomens of the males.
As adults, both genders have a distinctive white spot on their wings. They have a yellowish color on their inner foreleg distinguishable from the black eyespot
Eyespot (mimicry)
An eyespot is an eye-like marking. They are found on butterflies, reptiles, birds and fish. In members of the Felidae family , the white circular markings on the backs of the ears are termed ocelli, and they are functionally similar to eyespots in other animals.Eyespots may be a form of...
and white dots of the European mantis
European mantis
Mantis religiosa, referred to as the European Mantis outside of Europe and known simply as the Praying Mantis in Europe and elsewhere, is one of the most well-known and widespread species of the order Mantodea.-Overview:...
Mantis religiosa with whom it shares some range.
Reproduction
As with most mantis species, S. viridis males are frequently the victims of sexual cannibalismSexual cannibalism
Sexual cannibalism is a special case of cannibalism in which a female organism kills and consumes a male of the same species before, during, or after copulation. On rare occasions, these roles are reversed.-Prevalence:...
. Female produce an ootheca
Ootheca
An ootheca is a type of egg mass made by any member of a variety of species .The word is a latinized combination of oo-, meaning "egg", from the Greek word ōon , and theca, meaning a "cover" or "container", from the Greek theke...
within a few days of mating and can produce several before she ends her life cycle
Biological life cycle
A life cycle is a period involving all different generations of a species succeeding each other through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction...
. Each ootheca produces up to three hundred nymphs
Nymph (biology)
In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a...
when it hatches. This species has also been noted to have produced parthenogenically
Parthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction found in females, where growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization by a male...
.
Cultivation
Because of its size and hardiness, S. viridis is popular among those who keep insects as pets. S. viridis "is an easy species to keep, very suitable for beginners...They will happily take food of their own size and they will also take pieces of meatMeat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
if it is offered on a pair of tweezers
Tweezers
Tweezers are tools used for picking up and manipulating objects too small to be easily handled with the human hands. They are probably derived from tongs, pincers, or scissors-like pliers used to grab or hold hot objects since the dawn of recorded history...
". They are also more tolerant of changes in humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
and temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
than are many other species.
Another breeder
Breeding
Breeding is the reproduction, that is, producing of offspring, usually animals or plants:* Breeding in the wild, the natural process of reproduction in the animal kingdom* Animal husbandry, through selected specimens such as dogs, horses, and rabbits...
of mantises opines that S. viridis:
...is an attractive species due to its aggressivenessAggressionIn psychology, as well as other social and behavioral sciences, aggression refers to behavior between members of the same species that is intended to cause humiliation, pain, or harm. Ferguson and Beaver defined aggressive behavior as "Behavior which is intended to increase the social dominance of...
. Anyone interested in looking at how a praying mantis chase down its prey and devour it greedily, this is the species! ...they are not as bulky as Sphodromantis LineolaSphodromantis lineolaSphodromantis lineola, common name African mantis or African praying mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa sometimes raised in captivity. It may be distinguished from Sphodromantis baccettii by the absence of blue-black spots on its forearms....
but aggressive nevertheless. This species was easy to raise, feed them plenty of roachesCockroachCockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
, cricketCricket (insect)Crickets, family Gryllidae , are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers, and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets . They have somewhat flattened bodies and long antennae. There are about 900 species of crickets...
s, and wild caught flying insectsInsect flightInsects are the only group of invertebrates known to have evolved flight. Insects possess some remarkable flight characteristics and abilities, still far superior to attempts by humans to replicate their capabilities. Even our understanding of the aerodynamics of flexible, flapping wings and how...
, and they will gladly accept the food. MatingSexIn biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
this species was not difficult at all, male will initiate the move and female will be more cooperative when fed well. A warm, well heated enclosure of about 90F works as a catalyst to further improve the chances of mating.