# Zoolea sp.



## yen_saw (Aug 28, 2007)

It has been a while since i last introduce a new species (well not really :roll: ) here in the USA. ANyway, i am glad one of the breath-taking species is now a new addition to my mantis culture!!

Please welcome the Zoolea sp. (Not sure if this is Zoolea Lobipes or not but something similar).

Here are couple of ooth







L1 nymph





















It resembles L1 Texas Unicorn at this age, but it will outgrow Texas Unicorn as adult and develope a large long horn with spikey lobes on its leg. Well i don't have an adult pic for this species so i will have to show the pics from other links

http://www.insectariumvirtual.com/galeria/...p?image_id=2078

http://www.insecte.org/forum/image-vp11839...192391c780e76b1

This species originally from Paraguay highland and needs cooler temperature. Hopefully i have a chance to rear some to adulthood.


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 28, 2007)

Lovely Yen, coloring is like the budwing! The adults have a sword in their forehead!


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## sufistic (Aug 28, 2007)

Holy they have a nice big horn!


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## buddhistsoldier88 (Aug 28, 2007)

looks like a cross between idolomantis and texicans to me...


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## Djoul (Aug 29, 2007)

cute


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## Rick (Aug 29, 2007)

Great new addition.


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## yen_saw (Aug 29, 2007)

Thanks guys!



> looks like a cross between idolomantis and texicans to me...


Yeah it does! :wink: :!:

I was told the adult could reach the size of 10 cm. I am trying to keep this species based on Paraguay weather.... which is a challenge as the weather is just opposite us being in the Southern Hemisphere.

http://www.iten-online.ch/klima/amerika/pa...ay/asuncion.htm


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## joossa (Aug 29, 2007)

:shock: Wow! The adults are impressive!

Good luck with them.


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## MikhailsDinos (Aug 29, 2007)

Very nice, Yen!


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## Ian (Aug 29, 2007)

Excellent Yen! I was gunna get some off Larsy, but wasn't sure how to keep them.

Maybe I should wait until I have any experience tips off of you first  

Keep us updated, and wonderful photos


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## RodG (Aug 29, 2007)

Way to go Yen


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## yen_saw (Aug 29, 2007)

Thanks guys, promise to post more update here whenever possible.


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## Christian (Aug 30, 2007)

If you want this species, you should get it *now*! You never know when they will be available again. This one was one of my Big Five ever since. The most impressive S-American besides _Choeradodis_.

Regards,

Christian


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## Fisherman_Brazil (Aug 30, 2007)

Brilliant! stunning!


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## yen_saw (Aug 30, 2007)

> If you want this species, you should get it *now*! You never know when they will be available again.


Geezz that sounds like a tough one to rear and breed man :shock: i'm doomed :?: :!:


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## joossa (Aug 30, 2007)

> > If you want this species, you should get it *now*! You never know when they will be available again.
> 
> 
> Geezz that sounds like a tough one to rear and breed man :shock: i'm doomed :?: :!:


The Great YenSaw? Doomed? NEVER!!!

All that set aside, I think you should be up to the challenge. :wink: Plus, I want to see some nice photos of some adults.


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## yen_saw (Aug 31, 2007)

uh ohhh...... pressure!!


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## Rob Byatt (Sep 3, 2007)

This is one of those species that you think will never be available; another _Idolomantis diabolica_. But alas, it IS here !!!!!

The genus _Zoolea_ is in the same family as _Phyllovates_ and you can see why.


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## yen_saw (Sep 17, 2007)

Here are some pics after 2 moults. The "lobes" and "horn" are very appearance now.


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## yen_saw (Nov 17, 2007)

More update on this forgotten thread. This subadult male should molt soon in less than a week.












Have a second look on the abdomen and found out that the male has 7 spikes instead of 6. Female has 5.


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## Andrew (Nov 17, 2007)

Awesome, looking forward to photos of the adult!


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## acerbity (Nov 18, 2007)

Here's the adult pic linked in the first post if anyone is having trouble with it.


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## yen_saw (Nov 18, 2007)

Andrew, this one is for you  He molted sooner than I thought


























Now i am really looking forward for the female to molt. I am guessing in 2 weeks, but again i just don't know  

Acerbity, the pic you have there could be of different species, but are definately of _Zoolea _genus.


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## Mantida (Nov 18, 2007)

yen_saw said:


> Andrew, this one is for you  He molted sooner than I thought
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 :blink: -bites tongue- Me wants!  :lol: He is beautiful! Love the wings and the coloration.


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## Deroplatys (Nov 18, 2007)

wow,my male is still subadult


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## Andrew (Nov 18, 2007)

Thanks Yen.  

Looks great! I take it the wings will need a few days to finish coloring up though?


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## Kruszakus (Nov 18, 2007)

Man, I really should start saving some money - I'll definatelly want this species in my collection. I do not know why, but this species has this magic about it, I have to have it!


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## spawn (Nov 18, 2007)

Gorgeous. Such a streamlined mantis shape, you have to hope the female molts error-free!


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## yen_saw (Nov 20, 2007)

Andrew said:


> Thanks Yen.  Looks great! I take it the wings will need a few days to finish coloring up though?


The color on the wing stays after couple of hours. My camera is not good enough to capture the color pattern  , it has really nice cross lines.  



spawn said:


> Gorgeous. Such a streamlined mantis shape, you have to hope the female molts error-free!


Touch wood Spawn. So far it is 100% molt error-free, have two adult male molted successfully. Looking forward for the female to molt. B)


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## yen_saw (Nov 21, 2007)

With extra heat, female decided to molt into adult yesterday. Took a long 40 minutes for the female to fully stretch out the wing and it was midnight by then. yawn......











good size too






and two molted out alright the same day


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## Morpheus uk (Nov 21, 2007)

SUPER UNICORN MANTIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## joossa (Nov 21, 2007)

So cool!


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## spawn (Nov 21, 2007)

Am I reading that right? A full 4" female? Damn...


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## yen_saw (Nov 23, 2007)

Not quite 4 inches (about 3.5 inches), but larger than any of the Texas unicorns in my culture.


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## Kruszakus (Nov 23, 2007)

How about their behaviour?


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## yen_saw (Nov 23, 2007)

Kruszakus said:


> How about their behaviour?


The same almost, but Texas unicorn shows more stick mimicry act.


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## Mantida (Nov 23, 2007)

yen_saw said:


> The same almost, but Texas unicorn shows more stick mimicry act.


So they're somewhat skittish like the Texicorns? Mine will threat pose or get grumpy if I brush one of their legs.


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## yen_saw (Nov 26, 2007)

ABout the same Nola, male is usually more skittish than female for this species and also other species of praying mantis. adult female show no hesitation in showing threat pose when threaten, not running away like the adult male.


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## idolomantis (Nov 26, 2007)

wow! they look so awesome! when i have enough space i gonna buy a unicorn  hmm bud fist i,m going to try to find my escaped g asian back &lt;_&lt;


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## yen_saw (Dec 20, 2007)

Finally i witnessed mating from this species, not sure why they are not very interested in mating. Hopefully it was just my bad luck. Here is a a short movie clip of a mating pair.. hope it works

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v219/yen...¤t=MVI_5409.flv





She is not very happy with my camera


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## spawn (Dec 20, 2007)

Interesting video. What was that ringing or repetitive chirping in the background?


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## yen_saw (Dec 20, 2007)

Good ears Spawn  i have no idea to be honest :huh: i think it might be the old fan as i don't have any crickets at the moment. i use that old fan for ventilation and another heating fan which wasn't running during the filming time.


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## Kruszakus (Dec 20, 2007)

So you keep them together? How does it work out for you? Any sings of hostility?


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## yen_saw (Dec 20, 2007)

Work out fine for me, no cannibalism. In fact, more gentle than the Texas unicorn as adult, but constant supply of food is always there.


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## Kruszakus (Dec 21, 2007)

Well, then my plan of building a gianormous cage from planks and window curtains should be hastened a bit - man, man... you fill my heart with joy! Oh, I can't wait till those are available to buy!


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## yen_saw (Dec 25, 2007)

I keep about 5 per foot cube net cage as adult, but i keep about 20 of them in the same cage from hatching till 2 moults away from adult, so you don't really need a "gianormous" cage to house them all. I try to get a threat pose from this species as i realy like their wing colors, but they are not so easily anger, here is the best i can get from a female.


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## Vulcain (Dec 25, 2007)

Hi !

splendid photographs Yen  

very nice !


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## spawn (Dec 25, 2007)

Oh, you're right. The wings are pretty.


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## macro junkie (Dec 26, 2007)

its face..i would love to shoot them..


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## Kruszakus (Dec 26, 2007)

So how many adults could I keem in a cage about... 40x70x70?


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## yen_saw (Dec 26, 2007)

Thanks guys!!

Similar to Texas unicorn, this species stretch open the lower jaw during threat pose, a cool sight really.

Kruszakus, for the cage that size, I would put maybe 6-8 adults.


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## yen_saw (Dec 28, 2007)

More adult females mated. Male of this species has no interest on mating until after about 3-4 weeks old as adult.






and yesterday one female layed an ooth :lol: and as i typed now the other is laying too  











Looking forward to the new generation.... my resolution in 2008


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## Kruszakus (Dec 28, 2007)

I want it, I need it, I have to have it!!! :blink:


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## MikhailsDinos (Dec 28, 2007)

congratulations, Yen, Those are out of this world!


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## yen_saw (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Mikhails! for me they are as exotic looking as the idolomantis  i have to say your geckos are out of this world too


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## MikhailsDinos (Jan 7, 2008)

Thank you, My favorite out of this world gecko would have to be the satanic leaf geckos.(Uroplatus phantasticus).

I agree they look very exotic, If you ever have any to spare, Let me know!  You probily have a waiting list .................... haha.

Thanks again Yen!



yen_saw said:


> Thanks Mikhails! for me they are as exotic looking as the idolomantis  i have to say your geckos are out of this world too


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## yen_saw (Jan 21, 2008)

Adult male starting to drop like flies after mating, no idea why but i witness my first cannibalism. One unlucky male lost his head to the female while mating. He also lost the tarsus on both legs, wonder how he hang on to the female for so long. i took him out from the female's back as he is no longer connected to the female. Still waiting for the first ooth to hatch, the cold weather is not helping  











and promptly feed the female with more food.


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## Kruszakus (Jan 21, 2008)

What a bummer! Let's hope that the females won't turn on each other. But if this is the only casualty due to cannibalism, then I wouldn't worry - sometimes instinct takes over.


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## yen_saw (Jan 21, 2008)

I separated the females into individual container after 2-3 weeks as adult. They are cannivore afterall but that is the first cannibalism. While all female seems to do alright, the males don't live for more than 2 months  something similar to the Texas unicorn where female outlive male for many months.


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## Kruszakus (Jan 21, 2008)

Two months is not that bac actually - considering certain Hymenopodidae, this life-span is quite sufficient. But the pain in the dong is that the more they mate, the sooner they die - not with all species, but this is just so annoying!


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## Christian (Jan 22, 2008)

I can confirm the short livespan in my males. They do not live more than several weeks to 2 1/2 months. Well, as long as they do what they have to...


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## Morpheus uk (May 6, 2008)

Sorry for bring such an old topic up but does anyone still keeping them?


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## Kruszakus (May 6, 2008)

I know someone who has them, but I do not know at what stage they are - and if I cannot get Gongylus, I'll get me some Zoolea for sure.


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## Christian (May 6, 2008)

I am still breeding them. No major problems so far.


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## matt020593 (May 6, 2008)

I was gonna buy some from www.mantisanddragon.com a while ago but it's not really worth it for one ooth.

Matt


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