# Alalomantis muta IGM 132



## tier (Jun 20, 2009)

Hello

Its from africa












regards


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## idolomantis (Jun 20, 2009)

Very nice looking mantids there, tier


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## revmdn (Jun 20, 2009)

Cool.


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## Gurd (Jun 20, 2009)

Very nice mate

What are the diferences between them and the _Alalomantis coxalis_?


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## Katnapper (Jun 20, 2009)

They almost look like they have a white "sheen" to their abdomen. Do they appear this way in real life?

Thanks for letting us see.


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## tier (Jun 20, 2009)

Hi

Thanks "idolOmantis" and "revmdn" , but I have not invented them 

Thanks "Gurd", my mate. I dont know. All I know is Interest Group Mantodea Number 132 is_ Alalomantis muta_, brought to germany last year. I think there is only me and one other person, also a member of this forum, breeding them. This member gave some larvae to me. It was determined using adult males and females as far as I know, and it was determind here in germany. So it should be _Alalomantis muta_. I have no further information on _A. coxalis_. I neither know where it came from or who introduced it to the hobby, nor I know who determined it. All I know is that you guys in UK seem to be the only ones keeping it. I don't think it's the same tribe I am keeping, because I dont think anybony else than me and the member who gave this species to me is keeping them. So I don't know what you have. Maybe it's something else, or maybe it's the same, but I guess it is another tribe at least. You know what you have to do: It's the same as usual: Send some adult speciemen to Christian.

But, Gurd, for you, I will take some time and translate what the "Ehrmann 2002, Mantodea - Gottesanbeterinnen der Welt" says concerning the differences in this two species: Be aware that this is the general differences of this two species, what are not necessarily the differences between my_ A. muta _and your _W. hatever_:

_A. coxalis_ was described by Saussure &amp; Zehntner in 1895. It is located in Congo, Uganda and two other african states I don't know.

_A. muta_ was described by Wood-Mason in 1882. It has a wider range of distribution, inhabiting Angola, Gabun, Cameroon, Congo, Uganda and another african state.

Anyway, Ehrmann says that all species of _Alalomantis_ are always green, but I corrected this fiction with my pictures. This is at least prooven for larvae now. As far as Ehrmann says, Gurd, this two species are the only valid ones of the genus _Alalomantis_.

Thanks "Katnapper" for your interest. Although my pictures are not very good and altered with photoshop, you seem to be a good observer. It's more a turbidity than a sheen. First I thought this white trurbidity occures after molting (like freshly hatched or freshly molted larvae seem to be more white than usal), but they really have this white sheen or turbidity. The green larvae as well as the brown ones.

regards,

the parasitologist


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## Katnapper (Jun 21, 2009)

Interesting, Tier... thank you. And best of luck with breeding them.


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## Gurd (Jun 21, 2009)

Thanks for the information.

They were introduced by Graham Smith and collected from Congo as I understand also explains the common name given to the over here the Congo green.

I can also add to the fiction of _Alalomantis_ being only green as I know a couple of people with brown morphs of _A.coxalis_, mine are all green tho.

Some dead speciemens will find their way to Christian for clarification


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## massaman (Jun 21, 2009)

hmm we call the developing mantids nymphs

larvea is not part of the mantis life cycle


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## tier (Jun 21, 2009)

massaman said:


> hmm we call the developing mantids nymphs larvea is not part of the mantis life cycle


Thanks, but I prefer the word L-word. For a lot of reasons...


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## tier (Jun 22, 2009)

> They were introduced by Graham Smith and collected from Congo


Hi

Ahh, see, and mine are from Cameroon.

regards


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## tier (Aug 30, 2009)

Now I have some subadults.

Here a male:


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## tier (Aug 30, 2009)

and a female:


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## ismart (Aug 30, 2009)

Very cool! B)


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## leviatan (Sep 1, 2009)

Beautiful species!


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## Katnapper (Sep 1, 2009)

The inner femur appears to have some black markings with white circular spots. Is this correct? It is very striking... I'd love to see them in person!  In one of the pics the mantis almost seems to have a "sultry" look to its face. Beautiful.


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## Christian (Sep 1, 2009)

I can say so far that the species sold as "Alalomantis coxalis" isn't an _Alalomantis_, but belongs to _Sphodromantis_ or a related genus. _Alalomantis_ sells better than _Sphodromantis_, isn't it?


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## planetq (Sep 1, 2009)

Really pretty mantises.


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## tier (Sep 19, 2009)

Hello

Finally the first larvae are adult. I think "brancsikia" did not post a picture of an adult of the last generation here in the forum, so I now proudly present the first.

















The male has nice yellow wings, while the female is standard green.

Thanks to all for their interest and comments.

There are two white resp. yellow marks in a black zone and a third yellow or white mark next to this black zone, yes. But they are not really circular and differ in size. The adults have dark marks on their wings, but they are hard to see.

And yes, maybe they sell better then Sphodromantis, as nobody has any Alalomantis. But all in all, they are just another medium-sized, standad green mantis. I will find out how they sell soon ;-)

regards


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## tier (Oct 1, 2009)

Hi

The females are around two weeks adult now. I put my two males with one of the two females and one of them is doing his job right now. The other one has been seperated to his cage.


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## cloud jaguar (Oct 1, 2009)

massaman said:


> hmm we call the developing mantids nymphs larvea is not part of the mantis life cycle


Massman, what do you think "L1, L2, L7" etc. stand for? &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; larvenstadium = larval stage.


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## hibiscusmile (Oct 1, 2009)

These are very nice Tier, are they the size of the giant asians? they look a bit like them.


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## Morpheus uk (Oct 2, 2009)

You should be calling them instars  

Its not more of a mouthful, you could even say I6, makes more sence, we dont describe measurements of anything else in another language do we


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## tier (Oct 2, 2009)

Hi

No, they are much smaller than Hierodula membranacea. As you can see in the picture with the mating pair, both sexes reach same sizes, both about 6 or 6.5 cm in total lenght.

I do not care how to call them, sometimes I use the term instars, sometimes nymphs, and sometimes larvae. But, in contrast to others, I know that the correct term is larvae. Ehrmann is discussing the problem with these terms when it comes to mantids, and he has given about 50 reasons why larvae is the best fitting terminus. I will not translate this part as it is very difficult, even for zoologists.

I do not want my Alalomantis photo thread to become a discussion about the correct terms, please.

Regards


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## tier (Oct 3, 2009)

Hi

I found an angry girl today. Here is a quick shot.





regards


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## MantidLord (Oct 3, 2009)

tier said:


> HiI found an angry girl today. Here is a quick shot.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow, they remind me so much of M. religiosa. Awesome pics.


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## Gurd (Oct 14, 2009)

She doesn't look very happy

Great pic mate


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## tier (Oct 19, 2009)

Hi

Yes, the thread pose really reminds of M. religiosa. But the shape is much like H. membranacea, as hibiscusmile already pointed out. Only the colour is a little different, a little more yellow even in the green morphs.

Well, actually it seems I mated them too early. Now, after being adult for about four weeks, they started pheromone release and don't want to lay an ooth. Luckily, the males are still alive. Both femlales could be mated agian.

Here is a shoot of both males on one female:





regards

Ah, it seems the Sphodromantis sp. are still sold as Alalomantis coxalis: Someone is offering them here in the forum.


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## tier (Oct 29, 2009)

Hi all

Yesterday the first female layed her first ooth. This means they are ready about 5-6 weeks after the final molting. It seems mating the females before they are adult at least for five weeks will not work. In a few days, the second girl should lay her first ooth, as she molted adult a few days after the first girl.













I have a third adult female, molted about one week ago. If one of the two males will live for another 5 weeks, it all should end up with three mated females 

regards


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## ismart (Oct 29, 2009)

Awsome!  Hope your males last long enough to mate your third female.


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## tier (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks a lot. And congratulations to your post number one thousand!


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## ismart (Oct 29, 2009)

tier said:


> Thanks a lot. And congratulations to your post number one thousand!


 :lol: Didn't even notice that! Thanks! :lol:


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## tier (Feb 13, 2010)

Hi

The ladies are still alive and laying ooth. I wonder how the hatch rates of these will be  The first ooth contained about 90-100 nymphs each, these are now the 7.th ooth of each female I guess.





regards


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## Katnapper (Feb 13, 2010)

Congrats, Tier, on the many successive ooths.  I hope they will all hatch well for you.


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## tier (Feb 16, 2010)

Katnapper said:


> I hope they will all hatch well for you.


Thanks a lot. I just could photograph some fresh L1's, hatching today. This was the fith or maybe sixth ooth of one of the girls, and the hatch rates are still good. They hatch out as green as spring ;-)

regards


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## ismart (Feb 16, 2010)

What a pretty green!


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