Sphodromantis gastrica

Sphodromantis gastrica, with the common names African mantis or common green mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa.[1][2][3]

African mantis
Adult in the Kruger Park, South Africa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Mantodea
Family:	Mantidae
Genus:	Sphodromantis
Species:	S. gastrica
Binomial name
Sphodromantis gastrica Stål, 1858

It averages 65–75 millimetres (2.6–3.0 in) in body length, and has a very diverse diet, hunting any prey of reasonable size.[4]

Previously classified as Hierodula bicarinata (Saussure, 1869) and as Sphodromantis guttata (Giglio-Tos, 1907), this species has been found in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, and East Africa.[5][6]

• 
  Dorsal aspect of a late instar female, showing wing-pads
• 
  Immature female
• 
  Sphodromantis eating bee

See also

• African mantis
• List of mantis genera and species

References

1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2008-07-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) African Mantis
2. African Praying Mantis
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2008-07-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) African Praying Mantis Sphodromantis gastrica, lineola, viridis and centralis
4. Kudlanky.com
5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-06-22. Retrieved 2008-07-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) The Praying Mantises (Mantodea: Mantidae) of South Africa compiled by Alfred P. Kaltenbach, Naturhistorisches Museum in Wien, Burgring 7, A-1014 Wien, Austria
6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2010-06-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Working with Biodiversity - A Natural History of Tioxide