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''Odontomantis planiceps'', also known as Asian ant mantis, is a common
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of praying mantis
Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate ...
.
Description
''Odontomantis planiceps'' is a small mantis, with adult size ranging from 1.4 cm for males and 2.0 cm for females. It is commonly called the Asian ant mantis because it exhibitsbatesian mimicry
Batesian mimicry is a form of mimicry where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a predator of them both. It is named after the English naturalist Henry Walter Bates, who worked on butt ...
in its juvenile stages, resembling black ants - most notably from the 1st to 3rd instar at which they are most vulnerable from predators.
''Odontomantis planiceps'' is completely black from the 1st to 3rd instar, with green bands at the edges of every thorax segment.
After molting to the 4th instar and up to its ultimate molt, they are mostly green with some variation in color depending on the vegetation in which they reside.
Distribution
''Odontomantis planiceps'' is a very common mantis throughout its range, readily acclimating and even thriving in urban gardens and inhabiting ornamental plants. The geographic distribution of this mantis is wide, with most specimens collected in the Southeast Asian range from Malaysia to Indonesia, and this species has even been reported in Hong Kong and Taiwan.Behaviour
''Odontomantis planiceps'' usually stands still on leaves waiting for prey to pass. If there is an assumed threat, it will quickly retreat to the bottom of its leaf, while adult males will not hesitate to fly.See also
*List of mantis genera and species
The following list of mantis genera and species is based on the "Mantodea Species File", which is the primary reference for the taxonomy shown here.
The insect Order (biology), order Mantodea consists of over 2,400 species of mantises in about 460 ...
*
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7077991 Hymenopodidae Insects of Asia Insects described in 1913