Large brown mantis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Large brown mantis |
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| Archimantis latistyla underneath a carrot flower | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Archimantis
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| Species: |
latistyla
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| Synonyms | |
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Archimantis gigantea Beier, 1963 |
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The Archimantis latistyla, often called the large brown mantis, is a fascinating insect found in Australia. You might also hear it called the Bunny Mantis or Australian ghost hopper Mantis. This species has two main types, or "subspecies." One type is common across Australia, while the other, known as the stick mantis ghost, lives near Bundabergs Turtle Sands.
Stick mantis ghosts are a bit calmer than the widespread type. They have a cool way to scare off enemies: they throw their front legs up in the air and tuck their head and antennae down. This makes them look much bigger and more threatening!
Large brown mantises are usually light brown. The females have short wings that only cover half their body, so they can't fly. But the males have long wings that cover their whole body, allowing them to fly. They have two sets of wings. The top pair acts like covers, protecting the bottom pair. The bottom wings are the ones they use for flying. The stick mantis ghost from Bundaberg is a pale cream color. It has a yellow and black "eye" pattern between its arms. This pattern is about one and a half times bigger than the one on the widespread subspecies.
Mantis Behavior
These large brown mantises are quite fierce when they grow up. They are known to hunt and eat big prey. This can include small birds, and sometimes even fish, frogs, or lizards. They can also be aggressive towards each other, sometimes even eating other mantises.
If you disturb a large brown mantis or don't handle it carefully, it might try to defend itself against you. They can also jump a short distance from where they are sitting to escape from danger.
See also
In Spanish: Archimantis latistyla for kids
