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Predatory Behavior and Sexual

Cannibalism of Praying Mantis

(Miomantis caffra)

Submitted by:

Acas, Cyril J.

Agustin, Keiryl A.

Leron, Rocelle V.

Maghanoy, Rhea Lee P.

Ragay, Pablo Jr. A.

Submitted to:

Mrs. Venus B. Kinamot

MA in Biology


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Predatory Behavior and Sexual

Cannibalism of Praying Mantis

(Miomantis caffra)

I Introduction


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I. Introduction

The Praying Mantis (or Mantodea) is in the Mantidae family with its closest relatives

believed to be cockroaches and termites. Although their evolutionary path has been a subject for

dispute, recent belief is that mantises evolved from proto-cockroaches during the Cretaceous

period, possibly from species like Raphidiomimula burmittica, a predatory cockroach with

mantis-like forelegs (Johnson,2011). Mantids are insects and are diur- nal, which means they are

active during the daytime. Praying mantids usually are between 2 and 2 inches (50 to 65 mm)

long from head to wingtip, but some are larger. They are polyphagous predators, meaning they

eat more than one type of living thing. They feed on beetles, leafhoppers, flies, caterpil- lars,

each other, and any other insect they can catch (Loomis and Stone, 2007).

In general, mantid classification is based on the form of the raptorial forelegs and of the

antennae, the shape of the pronotum and of the compound eyes, and colour. On the case of

taxonomic classification, Praying mantis belongs to Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda,

Class Insecta, Order, Family, Genus, Species. Mantids are morphologically diverse, widely

distributed geographically in subtropical and temperate regions, and comprise bulk of species.

For morphological identification of Miomantis caffra, their head (Fig. 1.1) is triangular, in male

more angular, shallower, and with eyes more pronounced; ocelli large, prominent, well

developed; antennae 3 longer than pronotum. In female head deeper, triangular, with eyes less

prominent and ocelli small, inconspicuous; antennae approximately as long as pronotum. In both

sexes, frons shallow and arched mid-dorsally (Ramsay,1990)


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The thorax is itself divided into three distinct segments: prothorax, mesothorax and metathorax

(Chapman, 1972), each of which bear a pair of legs. Prothorax bears the forelegs, mesothorax

bears the mid legs as well as the elytra and metathorax wherein hind legs and hind wings arise.

Body of praying mantis consists of protonum, legs, wings and genitalia.

Pronotum is slender, much narrower than head, with a rounded swelling or node above

attachment of coxae, comprising about one-third of total body length in female and one-quarter

in male. Legs in Praying mantis are divided into foreleg, middle leg and hind leg.

Forelegs in female are with sharp, conspicuous margins each bearing a row of setate tubercles

and with tubercles scattered on surface; male has scattered setate tubercles/denticles distributed

over surface only. Middle and Hind leg similar with long and slender femur and tibia, trichoid

setae more or less arranged in longitudinal rows, tarsus 4-segmented and metatarsus relatively

short.

Wings, on the other hand, consist of fore wings and hind wings. Both fore and hind wings

strongly sexually dimorphic in colour, shape, size, and venation. Forewing sclerotised strongly in

female, weakly in male. Hind wings are well-developed,flimsy, membranous, colourless apart

from distal third of costal zone, where veins opaque and coloured pale green; slightly elongated

in male and shorter and more strongly curved apically in female.

Abdomen normal, soft, parallel-sided in male, larger, broad, with curved sides in female.

Segments of the insect body are divisible into three main sclerotised regions; a dorsal region or

tergum, a ventral region or sternum and a lateral region or pleuron. On each region can be seen

sclerotised plates, known as sclerites, these form the outer integument of the mantis and give the

body its form and stability. Dorsal sclerites are known as tergites, ventral sclerites as sternites,

and pleural sclerites as pleurites (Higgins, 2010; Chapman 1972). Male with 9 tergal and 7


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sternal plates, female with 9 and 5 respectively. Tergites emarginate in both sexes. First sternite

forming a strong spur behind hind coxae in male and a weak, blunt point only in female. Cerci

slender, soft, tapering, circular in cross-section, with long and short trichoid sensilla in both

sexes. Suranal plate similar in both sexes, wider than long, deeply triangular, slightly irregular to

crenulate in outline, more or less flat. Subgenital plate in male convex, asymmetrical, longer than

wide; sides curved; apex extending between strongly developed, tapered styli, truncate.

Subgenital plate in female strongly convex, hemispherical, apically forming a bilobed sheath

surrounding ovipositor (Ramsay,1990)

Genitals for male are the phallus and ovipositor for the female.


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REFERENCES:

Ramsay, G. W. 1990. Mantodea (Insecta) with a review of aspects of functional morphology and

biology. Fauna of New Zealand 19:1-96.

Walsby, J. 1996. On a wing and a prayer. New Zealand Geographic 29:100-116.

J.M. Loomis and H. Stone, 2007. Praying Mantis Stagmomantis californica. Oregon State

University, p.2

Higgins, Gillian. 2010. UK Mantis Forums Newsletter. Issue No. 02 p.19

Chapman, R.F. 1972. The Insects: Structure and Function. Second edition. The English

Universities Press Ltd.

Johnson, T. 2011. PRAYING MANTIS p.1


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