Interesting paper on distribution of sphodromantis gastrica which made use of iNat data.
It's great to see that data on mantodea collected by iNaturalists in southern Africa is being so well made use of !
Notes on the lifecycle and distribution of Sphodromantis gastrica (Stål, 1858) (Mantodea: Mantidae) in South Africa
1African Entomology2022, 30: e13967 (7 pages) https://doi.org/10.17159/2254-8854/2022/a13967
https://www.africanentomology.com/article/view/13967/19216
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@tonyrebelo @katebraunsd @moira_fitzpatrick @spidermandan Hope more of our iNat data from other countries within southern Africa can be incorporated into research like this !
Here is another interesting paper about harpagomantis tricolor which is found throughout the southern African region.
https://jor.pensoft.net/article/52816/
Life history of the false flower mantid (Harpagomantis tricolor Linnaeus, 1758) (Mantodea: Galinthiadidae) and its distribution in southern Africa
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/569984-Harpagomantis-tricolor
Greyvenstein B, Du Plessis H, Van den Berg J. 2022 Notes on the lifecycle and distribution of Sphodromantis gastrica (Stål, 1858) (Mantodea: Mantidae) in South Africa. Afr. Entomol. : https://www.africanentomology.com/article/view/13967
ABSTRACT
Sphodromantis gastrica (Stål) (Mantodea: Mantidae), also known as the African mantis, is suggested to be common and widespread in southern Africa. Limited information is available regarding the distribution of this species in South Africa and no information is available on its biology. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of S. gastrica in South Africa based on historic insect collection records as well as to study its basic biology and developmental parameters under captive breeding conditions. A total of 153 South African museum records of Sphodromantis spp. were recorded during this study. These records indicated that S. gastrica occurred in all but two provinces of South Africa. The incubation time of the S. gastrica oothecae were approximately 10 weeks and each ootheca contained an average of 84 egg chambers. The mean fertility rate was 54.6% while the survival rate until adulthood was 41.8%. The numbers of nymphal instars until adulthood ranged between four and nine. The mean lifespan of S. gastrica individuals were approximately 332 days and females lived longer than males.
Greyvenstein B, du Plessis H, van den Berg J (2021) Life history of the false flower mantid (Harpagomantis tricolor Linnaeus, 1758) (Mantodea: Galinthiadidae) and its distribution in southern Africa. Journal of Orthoptera Research 30: 17-26. https://doi.org/10.3897/jor.30.52816
Abstract
The false flower mantid is the common name for the Mantodea species Harpagomantis tricolor (Linnaeus, 1758). This species uses camouflage as a defense mechanism. Limited information (Kaltenbach 1996, 1998) exists on its distribution in southern Africa or about its life history. This species, and Mantodea to an extent, are not usually included in biodiversity studies from this region. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of this species in southern Africa based on museum collection records and to study the biology of Harpagomantis tricolor under captive breeding conditions. The distribution of Harpagomantis and its morphological variety, i.e., discolor, were determined utilising the historical insect collection records of seven national museums throughout South Africa. Field collected H. tricolor males and females were mated and reared under laboratory conditions to record their life history parameters of nymphal duration, oothecae structure, size and incubation duration, adult longevity, and sex ratio. The results of this study indicate that the mean duration of the lifecycle of H. tricolor is 191.33 ± 37.96 days. All but three H. tricolor individuals had five nymphal instars, and the mean duration of the nymphal stage was 140.20 ± 31.03 days. The mean duration of copulation was six hours, while the average incubation period of oothecae was 144.71 ± 9.33 days. These results indicate that oothecae of H. tricolor probably overwinter under field conditions and that males of this species have evolved various mechanisms to increase the likelihood of ensuring their own genetic offspring. This study bridges the gap in rudimental research in which Mantodea, in general, has been overlooked and establishes a basis on which ecological interactions, habitat preferences, and imminent threats to H. tricolor can be established.
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