# Sri Lankan species 10 inches long: fact or fiction??



## Gabrieloak67 (Jan 31, 2007)

Hi guys, hope you are all well and of course thanks for all the helpful replies to my postings..always amazed by the amount of knowledge out there.

Just saw this artcile on the web http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/apr...s-horizon_x.htm

in which the author states "A Sri Lankan species grows up to 10 inches (25 cm)."

I am thinking this is nonsense (she also says, when talking about mantid prey species "one researcher (Frederick Prete) documented twenty-one species of insects, turtles, mice, frogs, birds and newts".

I'm sure this is all nonsnee but just wanted to check with you guys.. Also am off to India, (Hyderabad) on business next month, any way of finding out info on Indian species , distribution etc before I go?

Yours in an office in Devon with cold feet, with 5 Euchomenella (boy am I pleased with them!) and one Sphrodomantis...


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## Rick (Jan 31, 2007)

You know how those articles are, about half true. It stated they eat turtles and can break aquarium glass with their strike. Yeah ok.


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## Rob Byatt (Jan 31, 2007)

Okay,

I have seen a mantis from Thailand (pos. _Rhombodera_ or _Hierodula_) that was over 6" (150mm) and VERY stocky.

It is quite possibly that there is a species that can reach almost this length, but it has yet to be discovered.

As for breaking glass - mantis shrimps, like it said, can (they say a tiny one, but they don't mean that :wink: ) :wink: . They strike with the velocity of a .22 rifle. You may find info. on this if you google it.

Frederick Prete is a very well known and respected entomologist; if he says that a mantis has been documented eating 21 species of organism, then I believe him.

Rob.


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## Gabrieloak67 (Jan 31, 2007)

Interesting stuff. I've seen the big bulky mantids too but i thought that some of the stick mantids in SE Asia got longer... What is the heaviest in your experience, Hierodula trimaculata?

My faves are still the little creobroters...., though being pushed hard by these Euchs you sent me!

Cheers for now!


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## Rick (Jan 31, 2007)

> Okay,I have seen a mantis from Thailand (pos. _Rhombodera_ or _Hierodula_) that was over 6" (150mm) and VERY stocky.
> 
> It is quite possibly that there is a species that can reach almost this length, but it has yet to be discovered.
> 
> ...


I thought they meant the praying mantis could break glass. Guess I didn't read it closely enough.


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## Jwonni (Jan 31, 2007)

the list of prey was that also to do with a mantis shrimp? i can see a mantid taking any (if small enough) except the turtle but the shrimp may well get the turtle they can destroy crab shells and glass so maybe they can


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## Gabrieloak67 (Jan 31, 2007)

Yeah the list related to mantids not mantid shrimps. Tough to believe I know but from a reputable source. Not sure when a mantid might actually encounter a turtle but thats another story... Saw mantid shrimps whilst diving in Thailand last year, wonderful , beautiful things but I guess I'm digressing a little..


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## CockroachYet (Jan 31, 2007)

-Hello, maybe these species may be Toxodera denticulata or Paratoxodera cornicollis or other species allies of these two?

-Best regards. Roberto.


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## Gabrieloak67 (Jan 31, 2007)

Thanks Roberto, I do recall seeing some pics on the web somewhere of this species, maybe...hang on just googled. this guy lists Toxodera denticulata as being 170mm (??)

Out of interest, does anyone know of either of these species in culture anywhere? I saw some pics on the web of a Toxodera in some kind of tank, so someone somewhere has them...I'll try to add an image, not sure how...here goes.. Cheers to you all. (nope how do i add aphoto guys?)


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## Christian (Jan 31, 2007)

Hi.

_Toxodera_ and _Paratoxodera_ are not in stock yet, seem to be difficult to be kept alive.

The largest species is _T. maxima_.

No species known or even heard of so far reaches more then 17 cm.

Regards,

Christian


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## sk8erkho (Jan 31, 2007)

Off the subject a bit. I'm still relatively new at this. So far i have only a bit of experience with Tenodera aridifolia sinensis. I see all of you guys with far more experience and listed at the endign of t=your messeges all of the different types kept. Since they have different conditions of survival how do you manage them all? Are there meters you can buy to tell you what conditions are, climatic that is, and then alter as needed.

How do you work it all out?

Regards!

Khori

PS I'm asking also because the time has come for me to begin upgrade different other mantids to my collection, soon. :wink:


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## Gabrieloak67 (Feb 1, 2007)

Hi , Christian thanks for the feedback, so T. maxima does then reach 17cm? Pretty amazing creature, hope to see one in the wild one day, if not in captivity somewhere. One can only wonder at the number of incredible mantids out there waiting to be discovered or even disappearing before discovered with the forests being exploited. The way of the world I guess..

...And sk8erkho thanks too for your reply. You wil find many experts on here with a wealth of experience. I have kept mantids for over 30 years now but never many species at a time unlike a lot of the guys here. My advice is therefore of limited value but I'd say I've kept them all under pretty identical conditions, ie slightly warmer than room temp, spray every other day, keep them apart (except Gongylus sp). Check if your chosen species needs flying food only or will take crickets. I'd say the easiest and hardiest have been Creobroter sp, the Chinese mantid (which you have), any of the large mantids sold as "African", Hierodula sp. As to some more "elaborate" looking mantids, Ive tried a few and not had problems with any, found them all fascinating , only thing is watch out for if they can or can't eat crickets ! Good and easy (and astonishingly beautiful) species are: Creoboter meleagris , Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii , Gongylus gongyloids (the latter is great as can be kept communally),Deroplatys desiccata.

I gotta say too that the variety of species in culture and available seems to grow massively each year. I remember 30 years ago as a kid going behind the scenes at the London museum of Natural History and being shown the mantids in store and marvelling at the sheer variety. Idolomantis diabolica and Orchid mantids seemed an impossible dream but even now these are being bred... There are a lot of breeders out there now with a lot of skill and experience so this forum is superb. Speak soon and good luck!


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## Rick (Feb 1, 2007)

> Off the subject a bit. I'm still relatively new at this. So far i have only a bit of experience with Tenodera aridifolia sinensis. I see all of you guys with far more experience and listed at the endign of t=your messeges all of the different types kept. Since they have different conditions of survival how do you manage them all? Are there meters you can buy to tell you what conditions are, climatic that is, and then alter as needed.How do you work it all out?
> 
> Regards!
> 
> ...


I'm no expert and about everything I do is based off my own experience and trial and error. But I keep them all under pretty much the same conditions. Some I keep more humid and some more dry but thats really about it.


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