Deroplatys lobata
Deroplatys lobata specimen Ex coll.Felix Stumpe, adult female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Mantodea
Family: Deroplatyidae
Genus: Deroplatys
Species:
D. lobata
Binomial name
Deroplatys lobata
Guérin-Méneville (1838)
Synonyms
  • Deroplatys brunneri (Kirby, 1904)

Deroplatys lobata, common name Southeast Asian dead leaf mantis or dead leaf mantis, is a species of praying mantis that inhabits Thailand, Java, Borneo, Indonesia, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula.[1][2][3]

Habitat

Deroplatys lobata live on the ground around dead leaves and bushes in damp areas, tropical forests.[4]

Description

This mantis mimics dead leaves. Females are about 65 to 70mm in length and males are about 45mm in length. 1st instar nymphs are up to 15mm in length and 2nd instar nymphs are about 21mm in length when their abdomens are expanded. Their coloring ranges from dark gray to light mottled gray, with many specimens exhibiting a slight pinkish 'flush' on the head and thorax. They also possess a broad prothorax that looks ripped and crumpled like a leaf.[5] Females have a wider shield than males as early as the 4th instar stage. Males have a slender body and a diamond shape shield.[6]

Sexual Dimorphism

Due to sexual dimorphism typical of mantises, the male is much smaller. Adult females are about 65mm to 70mm in length while adult males are about 45mm in length. 3rd instar nymphs cannot be sexed by counting the segments on the bottom of the abdomen because unlike most praying mantises 8 segments are visible in all of the 3rd instar nymphs and this is also true when they are in the 1st, 2nd instar stage and their leaf shapes look just about the same at those stages. 4th instar nymph and up their leaf shapes look different from each other and get more different from each other with each molt. 6 segments are seen on females while 8 segments are seen on males at the 4th instar and up.

Deroplatys lobata 4th instar nymphs, female on the left, male on the right. At this stage females are usually slightly larger than males.
Difference in the thorax at the 4th instar. Deroplatys lobata 4th instar nymphs, female on the right, male on the left.
Adult female Deroplatys lobata defending her ootheca

Additional Images

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://tolweb.org/Deroplatys_desiccata/54050 Tree of Life Web Project. Version 14 March 2006
  2. ↑ http://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/dead-leaf-mantis.html Dead Leaf Praying Mantis
  3. ↑ "Deroplatys lobata".
  4. ↑ http://www.mantisonline.de/index.php?lan=en&show=species_mantids_view&content=a:6:{s:7:%22subshow%22;s:15:%22species_mantids%22;s:10:%22level_left%22;s:3:%22def%22;s:5:%22genus%22;s:10:%22deroplatys%22;s:18:%22level_left_species%22;s:5:%22index%22;s:7:%22species%22;s:6:%22lobata%22;s:23:%22level_left_species_mode%22;s:7:%22general%22;}
  5. ↑ "Mantid Kingdom - Praying mantids and feeder insects!".
  6. ↑ "Dead leaf (lobata) species". usamantis.com. Archived from the original on 2007-06-23.
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