African mantis

Description:

The Ghana - Mantis is a relatively large , sturdily built praying mantis. It has a triangular , large head and an elongated prothorax . Between the compound eye and the antenna on both sides collects a so-called side eye tubercle , is missing , for example, in the similar genus Hierodula . There is a marked dimorphism between the two sexes. The female is 9 inches tall , plus it has a strong, broad physique with only six segments. The short wings that do not extend beyond the abdomen , it can fly only a few meters . It has a light brown to beige color, rarely it is colored green, it is about eleven months old. The male is only 7 inches tall, it is much slimmer than the female and has eight segments. For this it has longer wings . Due to this ability to fly , it is the males are able to actively seek out the females. The color of the male is usually bright green, thus it resembles the European praying mantis. It is only about eight months old.

Habitat:

The species occurs in West and East Africa and parts of Central Africa and Southern Africa . She prefers the savannah vegetation where it climbs to higher shrubs can also be found in the branches of trees.

Notes:

Pictures are from a nymph, subadult from own breeding.