Pseudocreobotra
ocellata
wahlbergii
general
keeping
breeding
pictures
Name latin Pseudocreobotra ocellata
english Flower Mantis
IGM-Number 44
Systematics

Systematics

All data for the systematics is taken from Reinhard Ehrmann's book "Mantodea - Gottesanbeterinnen der Welt" (Mantodea - Praying mantids of the world).

More about this book can be found in the section literature at this page.

Super-Order Dictyoptera
Order Mantodea
Family Hymenopodidae
Subfamily Hymenopodinae
Tribe Hymenopodini
First Description Author PALISTOT DE BEAUVOIS
Year 1805
Size

Quotation of Size

The given size is measured from the head to the end of the abdomen, without the wings.

Male ca. 2,5cm
Female ca. 3,2cm
Lifespan

Quotation of the Lifespan

The lifespan is given in month and has the following definition:

overall-age ("time between hatching and imago" + "lifespan after the last molting")

Example: 9 (2 + 7) month lifespan
overall-age = 9 month
time between hatching and imago = 2 month
lifespan after the last molting = 7 month

Male ca. 5,5 (2,5 + 3) months / ~ 6 moltings
Female ca. 9 (3 + 6) months / ~ 7 moltings
Sexing

Sexing

Morphologically differences between male and female.

Male 6 appendages at the abdomen, all the same size
adult: more slim than females, wings longer than the abdomen, good flyes
Female 5 appendages at the abdomen, the first (in front) one is the smallest, the last (at the end) the largest
adult: more compact than males, wings longer than the abdomen, but the abdomen is more wide than the wings, able to short flying jumps
Spreading

Spreading

For a better overview, only whole countries are listed for the quotation of spreading, even if a species can only be found in a small part of that country.

All data for the spreading is taken from Reinhard Ehrmann's book "Mantodea - Gottesanbeterinnen der Welt" (Mantodea - Praying mantids of the world).
More about this book can be found in the section literature at this page.

At the menu "Spreading" for each country only the genus but the species is printed (Exception: on this site described species).

South and West Africa
Africa
Africa
Habitat bushes and shrubbes, flowers, on meadows
inhabits damp areas
Aggressiveness medium- high (especally females are incompatible)
Colorvariants just older nymphs, lightbrown and beige)
Hint Adults of both sexes flap its wings lasting several minutes without flying. The function of this behaviour is not clarified (pheromone spreading?).
avoid stagnant moisture

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