# Rhombodera cf. valida - hatch & nymphs



## Precarious (Jan 22, 2012)

Pics of momma here:

COBRA MANTIS!!! (photos &amp; video)

Rhombodera (unknown sp. - HELP!) Mating, Ooth







I'll try to post video of the hatch soon. When I do I'll put it place of this text.

Biggest hatch I ever had. 359 nymphs! They came out about 30 at a time over 4 hours. They had little black skullcaps, probably to help protect the head as they push through the ooth.


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## agent A (Jan 22, 2012)

So cute! If u sell them I'll take a few


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## Precarious (Jan 22, 2012)

Duplicate post...


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## Precarious (Jan 22, 2012)

*L1*


























*L2*





















L2s availabel here:

http://mantidforum.n...showtopic=24000


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## itzjustjeff (Jan 22, 2012)

awesome shots!


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## LLCoolJew (Jan 22, 2012)

WOAH!!! OUTSTANDING!!

Congratulations on your new hatchlings!!


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 22, 2012)

WoW , what a picture that is! Send it to the sci fi station, surely they will make a movie out of that!


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 22, 2012)

oh yea, me too!


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## Chivalry (Jan 22, 2012)

Wow your pics are breathtaking.


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## lunarstorm (Jan 22, 2012)

Dat new macro lens! Going to work.


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## Precarious (Jan 23, 2012)

lunarstorm said:


> Dat new macro lens! Going to work.


That's still the old lens.

I used the new lens for the pics of the Orchid mommy here:

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=23988&amp;view=findpost&amp;p=183990


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## Precarious (Jan 23, 2012)

Chivalry said:


> Wow your pics are breathtaking.


  Thanks! The funny thing is I was shooting video at the same time! Hopefully I'll get the video up soon.


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## ismart (Jan 23, 2012)

Wow! :blink: Fantastic pics! I really need to invest in a new camera!


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## bobericc (Jan 23, 2012)

Omg @little black helmets

That is crazy!


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## lunarstorm (Jan 23, 2012)

bobericc said:


> Omg @little black helmets
> 
> That is crazy!


Agreed, that's the first time I've seen that cap/helmet in a new hatch. I wonder if it's more common and occurs with various species but just not something I noticed previously?


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## Precarious (Jan 23, 2012)

bobericc said:


> Omg @little black helmets
> 
> That is crazy!





lunarstorm said:


> Agreed, that's the first time I've seen that cap/helmet in a new hatch. I wonder if it's more common and occurs with various species but just not something I noticed previously?


I think we just don't normally get to see close enough to tell what's what.

I can see Oxyopsis gracilis had similar helmets though not black or as obvious. After a hatch what's dangling at the end of the threads is the egg casing. That would be where to look for the skullcaps.

I've also noticed that nearly all species hatch with a lot of excess fluid in their heads. I think this serves two purposes; it protects the head as it pushed out of the ooth, and is the fluid used to expand the body as they pull out of the egg case. It had me scratching my head for a while but I think this is the explanation. The body grows quite a bit when they emerge and something has to inflate that bigger body.

Here's a good example:

*Sibylla pretiosa* (So much fluid you can see into the head!)











Then an hour later...






*Ghosts* go from this...






To this...






*Oxyopsis gracilis* go from this...






To this...






Pretty extreme differences!


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## happy1892 (Jan 23, 2012)

I know house flies inflate their heads to split open the pupa. Maybe mantids inflate their head to split open the egg.


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## Precarious (Jan 23, 2012)

happy1892 said:


> I know house flies inflate their heads to split open the pupa. Maybe mantids inflate their head to split open the egg.


That doesn't appear to be the case. I've never seen the head actually fluctuate the way a fly's does. Doesn't look flexible. More like a compressed pocket of fluid hard enough to push through.


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## happy1892 (Jan 23, 2012)

Precarious said:


> That doesn't appear to be the case. I've never seen the head actually fluctuate the way a fly's does. Doesn't look flexible. More like a compressed pocket of fluid hard enough to push through.


I think you are right. It is amazing that the nymphs can come out of that ootheca.


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## Idolofreak (Jan 23, 2012)

Those guys look amazing in the hatching pics! I like the reddish tint in their eyes.


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## happy1892 (Jan 23, 2012)

You take amazing pictures!


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## yen_saw (Jan 23, 2012)

Wonderful pics. You have many hungry mouths to feed Henry.


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## SilentDeviL (Jan 25, 2012)

yen_saw said:


> Wonderful pics. You have many hungry mouths to feed Henry.


 +1 very nice looking Mantis


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## Termite48 (Aug 27, 2012)

I enjoy these pics very much. Epsecially it is interesting as I am raising one Rhombodera now, some Oxys, and just finished with Ghosts. Keep up the good work and keep sharing your theories with the rest of us, so that we old Biology majors can learn. I cannot see a lot of the things that you are able to see because of the macro abilities of your lenses. Thanks for the post!


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## mantid_mike (Aug 28, 2012)

another set of amazing pics. i just bought a used 5d Mark II (i couldn't afford the Mark III). Now send me your macro lens!!! :gun_bandana:


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## Precarious (Aug 29, 2012)

mantid_mike said:


> another set of amazing pics. i just bought a used 5d Mark II (i couldn't afford the Mark III). Now send me your macro lens!!! :gun_bandana:


I'll send it as soon as I'm done with it. *&lt;*-- *=** NEVER* :tt2: 

I was all hot for the Mark III but I can't justify the expense until I start to earn at least a little from photography.


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## mantid_mike (Aug 30, 2012)

Precarious said:


> I'll send it as soon as I'm done with it. *&lt;*-- *=** NEVER* :tt2:
> 
> I was all hot for the Mark III but I can't justify the expense until I start to earn at least a little from photography.


lol i think you've learned more than enough!


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## Precarious (Aug 30, 2012)

mantid_mike said:


> lol i think you've learned more than enough!


Learned plenty. Earned nothing.


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