Tropidomantis Praying Mantis (Nymph)

Tropidomantis tenera

Description:

Almost transparent green insect, about 2cm in body length, with long antennae. Mantid nymph. A late instar of Tropidomantis tenera showing the dorsal prominent yellowish line. This median line is more prominent in during the nymph stages. However, most of it becomes obscured by its wings when it reaches the adult stage. Tropidomantis tenera Stål, 1860, is a species of praying mantis found in Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Flores, Sumba, Sulawesi, Borneo, and the Philippines. Females reach about 2.5 cm in length, and males are smaller.

Habitat:

Backyard garden, spotted on a bromeliad leaf.

Notes:

Adult spotting can be seen here - http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/188... Reference: http://tiwanmantis.freebbs.tw/viewthread....

1 Species ID Suggestions

ForestDragon 11 years ago

Praying Mantis

Tropidomantis tenera taxo4254 - Tropidomantis tenera

12 Comments

AgnesAdiqueTalavera 11 years ago

@ForestDragon, finally, I got an adult! :) -
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/188...

AgnesAdiqueTalavera 11 years ago

So true Alice. I think it is the same case with grasshoppers. We have many spottings in PN but unfortunately most of them are not IDd yet.

alicelongmartin 11 years ago

It seems you could collect only mantis and have an endless variety!

AgnesAdiqueTalavera 11 years ago

Thanks ForestDragon!

ForestDragon 11 years ago

I agree, Agnes, they are very different looking. They do remind me more of Lacewings as well. I hope you get a chance to see an adult as well!

AgnesAdiqueTalavera 11 years ago

Thanks a lot saramrall and ForestDragon for the ID! I've seen the pictures of the adult in the link provided and in the net and it does not look like an ordinary mantid. It's beautiful! Like a lacewing.. I hope I could also spot its adult version. Thanks again!

ForestDragon 11 years ago

I ageee with saramrall. This is a Mantid nymph. I only recently found info on this species. It is so pretty and delicate looking.

momsara 11 years ago

Maybe a mantis nymph instead. Look at the front legs: like a mantis held in tight.
And the back legs are not big, as the jumping legs in a katydid. The eyes also are like mantis eyes. It is a little short, but I think very, very young mantis of some kind.

AgnesAdiqueTalavera 11 years ago

Thanks Adi. That was what caught my attention, the white line at its back... plus the white eyes. I was thinking that it could be a katydid nymph. Unfortunately, I did not see it anymore when I checked on it the next day.