Can different colored Mantids of the same species mate?

Just a quick question if that's possible. I wanna gonna give it a try. Just wanna make sure first. 

Mitch65009 said:

Just a quick question if that's possible. I wanna gonna give it a try. Just wanna make sure first. 

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Yes

hysteresis said:

Yes

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Perfect, thanks. 

Ya, color variations have nothing to do with reproduction.

- MantisGirl13

I vaguely remember something like two animals who cannot produce fertile offspring are not the same species, but they do not always have to be the same species to produce fertile offspring.

River Dane said:

I vaguely remember something like two animals who cannot produce fertile offspring are not the same species, but they do not always have to be the same species to produce fertile offspring.

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Really?? That's true?

Mitch65009 said:

Really?? That's true?

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Phyllocrania paradoxa X Phyllocrania illudens maybe? 

Maybe Rhombodera sp1 vs Rhombodera sp2? 

@hysteresis hmm, that would be interesting to try out. 

hysteresis said:

Phyllocrania paradoxa X Phyllocrania illudens maybe? 

Maybe Rhombodera sp1 vs Rhombodera sp2? 

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I hear people argue P illudens is just a synonym of paradoxa, but I'm very skeptical. Two species from the same genus can mate and produce offspring if they are closely related enough, and although a bit rare, sometimes the hybrids can also be fertile. In the jumping spider hobby P. regius x P. otiosus crosses are frequently bred, and don't quote me on this but I think the first gen females are fertile.

@Ben10101 Ive been told that by old methods of identification (genitalia) they are indeed synonyms. But DNA methods are reclassifying genera and species. We'll have to wait and see.

Just because we see smoother crowns on females, larger crowns in general, larger fringes and larger size, it doesnt mean they're not synonyms. 

I dunno. I have just one female paradoxa and one female illudens, so im not about to start muddying waters.

Have you read Orins chapter on Ghost colouration...... He thinks colours can be affected by breeding. you havnt read his book have you with respect... why not.  Peace !

@Foxhill, who are you replying to?

Mitch65009 said:

Really?? That's true?

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While not particularly true for mantids, it is possible with a wide range of other animals, one prominent example being fish. Electric blue jack dempsey cichlids or electric blue acara cichlids are  basically hybrids of many other south american cichlids, and the flowerhorn is a result of decades' worth of constantly breeding different species, primarily those from the Amphilophus genus.