''Sphodromantis'' is a large

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

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 ...

es concentrated in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, sometimes considered a synonym of the genus ''

Hierodula ''Hierodula'' is a genus of praying mantids in the tribe Hierodulini, found throughout Asia. Many species are referred to by the common name giant Asian mantis because of their large size compared to other mantids. Their large size and vibrant ...

'': from the same family,

Mantidae Mantidae is one of the largest family (biology), families in the Order (biology), order of Mantodea, praying mantises, based on the type species ''Mantis religiosa''; most genera are tropical or subtropical. Historically, this was the only family ...

. Outside their range especially, many share the

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often con ...

African Mantis ''Sphodromantis viridis'' African mantis and African praying mantis are common names for many species of praying mantis native to Africa. The following genera and species are often referred to by these names, by variants of them, or by common ...

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus ''Sphodromantis'': *'' Sphodromantis abessinica'' Sjöstedt, 1930 *''

Sphodromantis aethiopica ''Sphodromantis aethiopica'', common name Ethiopian mantis, is a species of praying mantis found in Ethiopia.

'' La Greca & Lombardo, 1987 *''

Sphodromantis annobonensis ''Sphodromantis annobonensis'' is a species of praying mantis in the family Mantidae. It occurs on the island of Annobón, Equatorial Guinea. See also *African mantis *List of mantis genera and species The following list of mantis genera and sp ...

'' Llorente, 1968 *''

Sphodromantis aurea ''Sphodromantis aurea'' is a species of praying mantis found in Liberia and Ghana.

'' Giglio-Tos, 1917 (Congo Green Mantis) *''

Sphodromantis aureoides ''Sphodromantis'' is a large genus of praying mantises concentrated in Africa, sometimes considered a synonym of the genus ''Hierodula'': from the same family, Mantidae. Outside their range especially, many share the common name African Mantis. ...

'' Roy, 2010 *''

Sphodromantis baccettii ''Sphodromantis baccettii'' is a species of praying mantis found in Kenya and Somalia. It may be distinguished from '' Sphodromantis lineola'' by the presence of blue-black spots on its forearms.Sphodromantis balachowskyi ''Sphodromantis belachowski'', common name African mantis or African praying mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa. African Praying Mantis ''Sphodromantis gastrica, lineola, viridis'' and ''centralis'' See also *African mantis *List ...

'' La Greca, 1967 (African Mantis, African Praying Mantis) *'' Sphodromantis biocellata'' Werner, 1906 *''

Sphodromantis centralis ''Sphodromantis centralis'', common name African mantis or Central African mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa. African Praying Mantis ''Sphodromantis gastrica, lineola, viridis'' and ''centralis'' See also *African mantis *List o ...

'' Rehn, 1914 (African Mantis, Central African Mantis) *'' Sphodromantis citernii'' Giglio-Tos, 1917 *'' Sphodromantis congica'' Beier, 1931 (Congo Mantis) *'' Sphodromantis conspicua'' La Greca, 1967 *'' Sphodromantis elegans'' Sjöstedt, 1930 *'' Sphodromantis elongata'' La Greca, 1969 *''

Sphodromantis fenestrata ''Sphodromantis fenestrata'' is a species of praying mantis found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Tanzania.Sphodromantis gastrica ''Sphodromantis gastrica'', with the common names African mantis or common green mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa. It averages in body length, and has a very diverse diet, hunting any prey of reasonable size. It has a lifespan ...

'' Stal, 1858 (Common Green Mantis, African Mantis) *'' Sphodromantis gestri'' Giglio-Tos, 1912 *''

Sphodromantis giubana ''Sphodromantis giubana'' is a species of praying mantis found in Somalia.
Te ...

'' La Greca & Lombardo, 1987 *'' Sphodromantis gracilicollis'' Beier, 1930 *'' Sphodromantis gracilis'' Lombardo, 1992 *'' Sphodromantis hyalina'' La Greca, 1955 *''

Sphodromantis kersteni ''Sphodromantis kersteni'' is a species of praying mantis found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Sudan.

'' Gerstaecker, 1869 *'' Sphodromantis lagrecai'' Lombardo, 1990 *'' Sphodromantis lineola'' Burmeister, 1838 (African Praying Mantis, African Mantis, Giant African Mantis, African Lined Mantis) *'' Sphodromantis obscura'' Beier & Hocking, 1965 *'' Sphodromantis pachinota'' La Greca & Lombardo, 1987 *'' Sphodromantis pardii'' La Greca & Lombardo, 1987 *'' Sphodromantis pavonina'' La Greca, 1956 *'' Sphodromantis pupillata'' Bolivar, 1912 *'' Sphodromantis royi'' La Greca, 1967 *'' Sphodromantis rubrostigma'' Werner, 1916 *'' Sphodromantis rudolfae'' Rehn, 1901 *'' Sphodromantis socotrana'' (Roy, 2010) *'' Sphodromantis splendida'' Hebard, 1920 *'' Sphodromantis stigmosa'' (Roy, 2010) *'' Sphodromantis tenuidentata'' Lombardo, 1992 *''

Sphodromantis viridis ''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. Name ''Sphodromantis viridis'' is popularly called the African mantis, but ...

'' Forskål, 1775 (Giant African Mantis) *'' Sphodromantis werneri'' (Roy, 2010)

As pets

Due to their large size and vibrant coloration compared to other mantids, ''Sphodromantis''

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), ...

are very common in the pet trade.Keeping and Breeding the African Mantis ''Sphodromantis centralis''
/ref> List of ''Sphodromantis''

that have been bred and raised in captivity. Female Sphodromantis

*''Sphodromantis aurea'' (Congo Green Mantis) *''Sphodromantis baccettii'' (Giant African Praying Mantis) *''Sphodromantis gastrica'' (Common Green Mantis, African Mantis) *''Sphodromantis lineola'' (African Praying Mantis, African Mantis, Giant African Mantis, African Lined Mantis) *''Sphodromantis viridis'' (Giant African Mantis) *''Sphodromantis'' sp. "Blue Flash" (An unknown

of ''Sphodromantis'' that comes from the Congo and are popular in the pet trade. They are also called Sphodromantis sp. "Congo Blue Flash", Congo Blue Flash or just Blue Flash.)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1619339 Mantodea genera Mantidae Taxa named by Carl Stål