See also
Family: Mantidae
Ο Sphodromantis viridis ανήκει στο γένος Sphodromantis και στην οικογένεια των Mantidae και αποτελεί το μεγαλύτερο από τα οκτώ είδη που συναντάμε στην Κύπρο και το θηλυκό μπορεί να φτάσει σε μέγεθος μέχρι και δέκα πόντους. Λόγω του μεγάλου του μεγέθους είναι ένα από τα είδη που χρησιμοποιούν ορισμένοι άνθρωποι ανά τον κόσμο ως κατοικίδια. Το συναντάμε εκτός από την Κύπρο στη Δυτική Αφρική, επίσης στο Ισραήλ και στην Ισπανία ως εισαγόμενο είδος.
Εχθροί αυτών των εντόμων -από ανθρώπινους παράγοντες- είναι οι αλόγιστοι ψεκασμοί και η καταστροφή των βιοτόπων, ενώ από φυσικούς παράγοντες είναι η θήρευσή τους από πολλά είδη πουλιών, τρωκτικών, σκαντζόχοιρων και ερπετών που γι' αυτά τα αλογάκια της Παναγίας αποτελούν λιχουδιά. Ένας άλλος μεγάλος εχθρός είναι μερικά είδη παρασιτικών σφηκών που εναποθέτουν με έναν ειδικό ωοθέτη τα αβγά τους μέσα στις ωοθήκες των μάντιδων και οι κάμπιες τους όταν εκκολαπτούν τρέφονται με τα αβγά και τις προνύμφες των μάντιδων. Ένα παρασιτικό σκουλήκι το Horsehair worms - Horsehair worms - Gordius aquaticus παρασιτεί στα έντομα αυτά και μπορεί να μεγαλώσει μέχρι και ένα μέτρο μέσα στην κοιλιά τους.
Sphodromantis viridis is a species of praying mantis that is kept worldwide as a pet. Its common names include African mantis,giant African mantis, and bush mantis
S. viridis is native to Cyprus, West Africa south of the Sahara desert. It can also be found as an introduced species in areas outside its original range including Israel and Spain.
Despite its scientific name (viridis is Latin for green) this insect ranges in color from bright green to dull brown. Females can reach 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length. Due to the sexual dimorphism typical of mantises, the male is much smaller. Females may also be distinguished from males as they have six segmented abdomens compared to an eight segmented abdomens of the males.
As adults, both sexes have a distinctive white spot on their wings. They have a yellowish color on their inner foreleg distinguishable from the black eyespot and white dots of the European mantis Mantis religiosa with whom it shares some range.
Sphodromantis viridis is a species of praying mantis that is kept worldwide as a pet. Its common names include African mantis,giant African mantis, and bush mantis
S. viridis is native to Cyprus, West Africa south of the Sahara desert. It can also be found as an introduced species in areas outside its original range including Israel and Spain.
Despite its scientific name (viridis is Latin for green) this insect ranges in color from bright green to dull brown. Females can reach 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length. Due to the sexual dimorphism typical of mantises, the male is much smaller. Females may also be distinguished from males as they have six segmented abdomens compared to an eight segmented abdomens of the males.
As adults, both sexes have a distinctive white spot on their wings. They have a yellowish color on their inner foreleg distinguishable from the black eyespot and white dots of the European mantis Mantis religiosa with whom it shares some range.
As with most mantis species, S. viridis males are frequently the victims of sexual cannibalism. Female produce an ootheca within a few days of mating and can produce several before she ends her life cycle. Each ootheca produces up to three hundred nymphs when it hatches. This species has also been noted to have produced parthenogenically. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Photos Nicosia by George Konstantinou
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