# Can mantids breed outside of their species?



## sk8erkho (Jan 24, 2007)

Can mantids breed with other species other than their own? Does anyone know of such a thing or any research which has explored this idea?


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## nickyp0 (Jan 24, 2007)

simply put no


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## Rick (Jan 24, 2007)

They can breed however it does not appear to produce viable offspring.


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## agalbo (Jan 26, 2007)

The definition of "species" is a group of organisms that can reproduce and have fertile offspring. Therefore, by definition, any species cannot mate with another species.


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## Rob Byatt (Jan 26, 2007)

> The definition of "species" is a group of organisms that can reproduce and have fertile offspring. Therefore, by definition, any species cannot mate with another species.


They are right !

Therefore, if two supposedly different species from the same genus mate and produce offspring and these offspring go on to breed successfully, then the two species are not distinct.

One could be a subspecies of the other, or they are just the same species :wink:

Rob.


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## sk8erkho (Jan 27, 2007)

Got ya!! Just curious. Taking in all I can as I think I'm in it for life!!! :wink:

It's been an adventure!

Best Regards!!

Khori

PS I'm gonna ask the questions!! :wink:


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## Evil_Berzerker (Apr 17, 2007)

i suppose its like mules, to make a mule i think you breed a horse and a donkey but the mules infertile and is not a new species itself but more like a new organism, sort of one of a kind but mules are commin but you get what i mean, you could maybe try and mate 2 similar species to create a new breed of mantis but they will most definately be infertile, but i see no reason why you cant try  i know the others said this sort of stuff above but i think i kind of simplified it coz i couldnt realy understand what the others meant but oh well, have fun playin god


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## sk8erkho (Apr 18, 2007)

Not trying to play god, nor interested in doing so. Just a thought, being new to the game and all. Not that serious.


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## Way.Of.The.Mantis (Apr 19, 2007)

One of my friends who used to keep a few mantids tried someting like this, with an orchid and a giant malaysian..the female orchid couldnt have had much sex appeal, it got ripped apart!

Jonny.


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## OGIGA (Apr 19, 2007)

Poor mantis... Orchids are so beautiful.


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## Ben.M (Apr 19, 2007)

Cool, this is an interesting thread  

As there are so many species if they were able to breed with any other mantis species it would just cause complications all the time like with the latin name and things like that........................its to muck hassle :roll:


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## anthony2001a (May 6, 2007)

> Can mantids breed with other species other than their own? Does anyone know of such a thing or any research which has explored this idea?


It could only happen on Star Trek, where the writers/producers have no idea of the definition of species. Genetically, we are closer to chimps and dolphins, and nobody would think it normal for a human to want to mate with these animals nor would we expect viable offspring, yet on Star Trek, humans are routinely sexually attracted to non-human species.

In the real world, mantid species don't interbreed; it's like you being attracted to a gorilla. To an outsider from another planet, you'd look pretty similar as primates, but you're just not brain-chemistry/biochemistry set up to mate with a non-human primate.

That said, it would be interesting to see what would happen if you matched a large Chinese mantis with say, an Orchid mantis...

Anthony


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## OGIGA (May 6, 2007)

What about something like stamomantis californica with a stamomantis carolina? Is there a chance at all? I'm sure an African person can mate with a Native American and produce offspring, but I'm not sure how close (or not close) mantises are.


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## yen_saw (May 9, 2007)

I remember receiving an ooth of cross breeding between Sphodromantis Centralis with Sphodromantis Lineola, and the result is nothing came out from the ooth. I have heard of someone managed to get few nymphs out of it but it didn't last for too long. So cross breed Stagmomantis Californica and Stamomantis Carolina will almost certain produce infertile ooth.



> I'm sure an African person can mate with a Native American and produce offspring


 You cannot compare mammal (human) to insect, afterall we are all homosapien (similar genetic trait).


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