Miomantis caffra
| Miomantis caffra | |
|---|---|
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| Laying her egg case | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Mantodea |
| Family: | Mantidae |
| Genus: | Miomantis |
| Species: | M. caffra |
| Binomial name | |
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Miomantis caffra Saussure, 1871 |
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Miomantis caffra is a species of praying mantis native to Southern Africa. It was discovered to have spread to New Zealand in 1978. This species was discovered recently in Portugal, together with Miomantis caffra, the trade of exotic species, is the cause of many ecosystems are affected, by the introduction of invasive species or by the collection of animals in their natural habitat.
The ootheca (egg case) of M. caffra is 12–30 mm long with rounded sides, soft creamy-brown, fawn or beige with a terminal handle-like extension. Hatching is not synchronised, and nymphs may emerge over a period of weeks or even over two seasons.
The oothecae are extremely hardy, and can survive winter to hatch even in the far south and alpine regions of New Zealand.
The nymphs are green or brown, body often longitudinally striped, limbs mottled, tip of abdomen curved upwards. Significant colour variation exists in nymphs and sub-adults, with bodies varying from pale straw-colour, bright green, and reddish brown, and legs varying from pale to almost black. Nymphs of M. caffra are cannibalistic, and will attack and eat one-another even in the presence of alternative prey. They do not discriminate against killing their own siblings, and in encounters between two nymphs, the larger usually eats the smaller.
Adults of M. caffra are usually 32–60 mm long, pale green or brown, occasionally with pink or purplish colouration near base of fore-wing; hind wings green or bright yellow. Pronotum narrower than head, approximately 1/3 of body length, rounded dorsally and swollen over the leg attachment. There are dark pigment spots on the inner surface of the fore-femur. Males are smaller, more slender and have longer antennae than females. The abdomen of an egg-bearing female extends well beyond the wings.
In its natural environment, M. caffra tends to hide under leaves. A very active and aggressive species, the males of M. caffra are sometimes eaten immediately after copulation.
In New Zealand M. caffra is commonly referred to as the springbok mantis or the South African praying mantis. The first specimens to be found in New Zealand were nymphs collected by an Auckland schoolboy at his home in New Lynn, Auckland during February 1978. These were reared to adulthood and a colony based on them was established and maintained by the Entomology Division, DSIR. Initially their identity caused problems as the specimens were unlike any other Australian or Pacific species examined. Finally Dr A. Kaltenbach of the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, identified the specimens as a common Southern African species, Miomantis caffra. Although not considered a pest species, it is thought to be displacing the New Zealand native species (Orthodera novaezealandiae) in urban environments of northern New Zealand. This displacement may be facilitated by the attraction of the native mantis males to females of M. caffra, which often results in their deaths due to sexual cannibalism.
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Wikipedia