# 64'000 question



## Juliancito (Dec 26, 2005)

Would some one please explain me what's the correct form to call this insect MANTIS or MANTIDS....i'm kind of confuse here....

I prefer to ask stupid questions than make stupid mistakes. :wink:


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## Gecko Assassins (Dec 26, 2005)

"Mantis" is just one while "Mantids" are more than one.


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## Ian (Dec 26, 2005)

This discussion has cropped up in the past I believe. "Mantid" and "Mantis" are both singular terms for the insect, and "Mantids" is the plural term. I am not sure if "Mantises" is correct....any views on that??

Cheers,

Ian


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## Samzo (Dec 26, 2005)

Well, in MS word mantises is plural so I guess MS wouldnt get it wrong.. :roll:


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## specy (Dec 26, 2005)

Probably more to do with greek or latin than to single or plural?

http://www.bartleby.com/61/1/M0090100.html

http://www.bartleby.com/61/4/M0090400.html


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## Tapos (Dec 27, 2005)

i personally like Mantid just because Microsoft was not bright enough to have it in their database. it is fun to think those who know it all, don"t!


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## nympho (Dec 27, 2005)

they dont know how to make a decent OS either


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## Samzo (Dec 27, 2005)

Like to see you do better... lol


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## Johnald Chaffinch (Dec 27, 2005)

are each species of mantid when by themself called a praying mantis?


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## Ian (Dec 27, 2005)

Yeah, but MS IS American...afterall..


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## Samzo (Dec 27, 2005)

Good point. Tbh, I think we should just use what ever word seems to fit.. no one is going to know the wiser :lol:


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## nedweenie (Dec 28, 2005)

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, both mantids and mantises are ok for plural. Mantiss, mantis, &amp; mantid are ok (or I should say have been used) for singular. Of Greek origin, meaning prophet or diviner, "mantis" was first seen in written form in 1646 by a Sir T. Browne:

"One kinde of Locust..stands..in a large erectnesse..by Zoographers called mantis. "

Mantid showed up much later, in 1895, in reference to "Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi"in a publication called Athenæum.


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## Juliancito (Dec 29, 2005)

Thanks a lot to all of you guys.


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## Mantis Keeper (Dec 29, 2005)

Next question, preying mantis, or praying mantis.


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## ASH (Dec 29, 2005)

lol


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## Ian (Dec 29, 2005)

Thats a good one...I think its "praying" I mean, type "preying" into google, and you dont get nearly as many search results...


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## Johnald Chaffinch (Dec 29, 2005)

i reckon there was puposefully a play on words with the title Praying Mantis. it'd be nice to know that that is the case.

( you know what i mean - it looks like it's praying but actually it might as well be called Preying Mantis because of it's expert hunting skills )


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## Mantis Keeper (Dec 29, 2005)

Thats why I've never been sure of the spelling. I tend to use praying(even though recently I just switched to mantid to avoid the confusion). Though I noticed that both preying also fit so perfeclty.


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## Obie (Dec 29, 2005)

I had a talk today with my coworkers...all entomologists (museum curators and professors). This was the consensus:

*Mantid* or mantids are the correct terms for members of the insect order Mantodea. *Mantis* and praying mantis are both supposed to refer to Mantis religiosa and other members of that genus only, but are common slang terms for Mantids...


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## Rib (Dec 30, 2005)

I've always found Mantis to be more popular online, and mantid more popular in books and entomological studies. If your trying to find something online its best to use both. Annoying sometimes


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## Mantis Keeper (Jan 1, 2006)

You should ask your coworkers if it's preying or praying.


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## Samzo (Jan 1, 2006)

it's praying because they look like they are praying, I think somewhere I read or heard a christian found the first one. its just a coincidence that they "prey" on other things.


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## Juliancito (Jan 2, 2006)

> I had a talk today with my coworkers...all entomologists (museum curators and professors). This was the consensus:*Mantid* or mantids are the correct terms for members of the insect order Mantodea. *Mantis* and praying mantis are both supposed to refer to Mantis religiosa and other members of that genus only, but are common slang terms for Mantids...


Mmmm...interesting....i wish my coworker was an entomologist..


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## tim (Jan 3, 2006)

The _Oxford English Dictionary _cites that the two accepted pluralised forms of the word mantis are *mantises *and *mantis*, coming originally from the Greek meaning 'prophet' (which of course is consistent with the term _praying_ mantis, not _preying_). The _OED_ also gives *mantid *as an alternative term for *mantis*.

However, if we follow the general terminology of scientific literature, we would assume that mantid refers specifically to the family Mantidae, and not the general order Mantodea, just as we could refer to a member of the family Empusidae as an empusid.

I always find it more useful to refer to the Mantodea as the mantises, and save the term mantid for the family Mantidae.

I also suspect that I've got too much time on my hands...

Tim


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## Jodokohajjio (Jan 4, 2006)

Here's a quote from a thick text on the subject- THE PRAYING MANTIS, Prete, Wells, Wells, Hurd:

"Although there are a number of references to _mantis_ in ancient Greek literature, most mean simply prophet or soothsayer and do not refer to teh insect (Prete and Wolfe, 1992). After a time, however, the insect did come to acquire the name _mantis_ due to its seemingly pious demeanor and purported ability to point the way home to lost travelers (Kevan, 1978)."

Then it goes on to quote a passage in greek literature that metaphorically relates teh arms of a praying woman to the raptoral arms of a mantis.

I'd definatly say that its "Praying Mantis"


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## Christian (Jan 5, 2006)

Hi.

Although English is not my mother tongue, I've read enough literature and might be able to contribute some useful things: 8)

Just the term "praying mantis" is correct. "preying" has been used in the last century only.

The singular word is "mantis" or "mantid". They are both used for the entire order, not the family Mantidae only. "Mantis" is more used in specific names (Chinese Praying Mantis, European Praying Mantis), "mantid" for the insect as such, and for unknown ones. The more correct, but never used term would be "mantodean".

In plural, both "mantises" and "mantids" are used. I favor the second one. It's rather a preference than because of being more correct or something. But, rarely, you find also "mantes" or "mantoids".

The last term somewhat refers to the classification, as "Mantoidea" means the higher mantids (except Chaeteessidae, Mantoididae (&lt;- not to be confounded with the term referred to!!), Metallyticidae, Amorphoscelidae and Eremiaphilidae). It is not common, though, and as at least the Amorphoscelidae may be paraphyletic this definition could change in near future.

Regards,

Christian

EDIT: Spelling


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## Mantis Keeper (Jan 5, 2006)

wow, all this discusion over two simple little questions. Well, looks like I have nothing to worry about, I always used praying mantis when I use that, but normally just use mantid anyway. No idea why, it just flows better.


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## Ian (Jan 5, 2006)

Well, its pretty interesting to hear what the correct word is. Although..when writing, I couldn't actually give a dam what I write down :lol:


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