European mantis

European mantis
Temporal range: Piacenzian – Recent[1]
Adult female, Romania
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Mantodea
Family: Mantidae
Subfamily: Mantinae
Tribe: Mantini
Genus: Mantis
Species:
M. religiosa
Binomial name
Mantis religiosa
Subspecies

See text

Synonyms

The European mantis (Mantis religiosa) is a large hemimetabolic insect in the family of the Mantidae ('mantids'), which is the largest family of the order Mantodea (mantises).[3] Their common name praying mantis is derived from the distinctive posture of the first pair of legs that can be observed in animals in repose. It resembles a praying attitude.[4] Both males and females have elongated bodies with two pairs of wings. The most striking features that all Mantodea share are a very mobile, triangular head with large compound eyes and their first pair of legs (the 'raptorial legs'), which is highly modified for the efficient capture and restraint of fast-moving or flying prey.[4]

In Germany, M. religiosa is listed as Gefährdet [endangered] on the German Red List on the basis of an assessment from 1998.[5] It is not supposed to be caught or held as a pet.[6] At a global level, it is assessed by the IUCN as least concern.[2]

Copy of the original description of several species of mantis including Mantis religiosa, described by Carl Linnaeus as Gryllus (Mantis) religiosus in 1758.
  1. ^ "Fossilworks: Mantis religiosa".
  2. ^ a b Battiston, R. (2016). "Mantis religiosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T44793247A44798476. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T44793247A44798476.en. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  3. ^ Kral, Karl (March 2014). "Orientation Behavior with and Without Visual Cues in Newly Hatched and Adult Praying Mantis". Journal of Insect Behavior. 27 (2): 192–205. Bibcode:2014JIBeh..27..192K. doi:10.1007/s10905-013-9415-3. S2CID 17222572.
  4. ^ a b Roeder, Kenneth D. (October 1935). "An experimental analysis of the sexual behavior of the praying mantis (Mantis religiosa L.)". The Biological Bulletin. 69 (2): 203–220. doi:10.2307/1537420. JSTOR 1537420.
  5. ^ "Species Information | Regional Red List".
  6. ^ Linn, Catherine Anne; Griebeler, Eva Maria (August 2016). "Habitat Preference of German Mantis religiosa Populations (Mantodea: Mantidae) and Implications for Conservation". Environmental Entomology. 45 (4): 829–840. doi:10.1093/ee/nvw056. PMID 27271947.