# Mega Mantis



## Colorcham427 (Mar 19, 2011)

How big does this species actually get?

I have been told by many experienced keepers they only get around 6 inches long. And then a few other experienced keepers say they can reach a foot!!! 12 inches!!!

What species is generally labeled Mega Mantis? That species that doesn't get so big and "lives up to the mega" ?


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## guapoalto049 (Mar 19, 2011)

I hate to break it to ya man but a foot big may be a tad bit of an exaggeration._ Plistospilota guineensis_ reaches around 12 cm long when adult. I think its getting a bit of the Chinese mantis syndrome, where people see one in the wild/a picture and say it _must _be 6".

Many people exaggerate measurements for some reason, which to me can get annoying. One common thing I see is placing a ruler on the ground under a standing mantis, so a 12 cm mantid can look 15 cm.

I like it place the ruler along the back of the mantid to get accurate measurements. Until I see clear photographic evidence (not an optical illusion) then I can't say I've seen one longer than an _Idolomantis_.


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## sporeworld (Mar 19, 2011)

Yeah, I've seen a couple of profile pics of mantids HANGING from a ruler, and I thought that's probably the best way. Assuming they can hang on (clumsy Idolos).


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## angelofdeathzz (Mar 19, 2011)

Yeah, I think if there were 12in. mantis out there we would have seen it by now.

Megas get about 6-7 inches and thats only females, males are less.


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## PhilinYuma (Mar 19, 2011)

All mantises, Brian, are identified by a "type" specimen, which is usually sitting in a museum somewhere. Polyspilotum guinensis is about 15-16cm or 6". There have been many discussions about mantis size on this forum, and two reasons are commonly given for exaggeration, "the fish that got away" syndrome and a tendency to measure a mantis from the tip of its extended raptorial claws to the tip of the extended hind legs instead of TBL.

I am greatly in favor of the casual use of common names (if only because it avoids the use of misspelled binomials  ), and the origin of "mega mantis" has interested me. I think that it may have originated with the popular metallic toy that has been around a long time and can still be bought on Amazon and elsewhere.


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## Rick (Mar 20, 2011)

I'm pretty sure no mantis species reaches 12". Many people still think chinese mantids reach six inches but are stunned to find out it is barely four inches.


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## Frey (Mar 20, 2011)

Photo did 2-3 days after laid of ootheca , female was empty, when she is fully feed she could take 12.5

Only Heterochaeta spp could be bigger and maybe Schizocephala bicornis but Plistospilota is more massive





Uploaded with ImageShack.us


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## angelofdeathzz (Mar 20, 2011)

Thanks Justyna for taking the time to post the Mega size pic.


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## PhilinYuma (Mar 20, 2011)

angelofdeathzz said:


> Thanks Justyna for taking the time to post the Mega size pic.


And that 10 zloty bank note! :lol:


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## Frey (Mar 20, 2011)

:  : sorry that take so long

^^ maybe that will help to resolve problem how big she could be


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## Ntsees (Mar 20, 2011)

That is one huge mantid.


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## guapoalto049 (Mar 20, 2011)

Frey said:


> :  : sorry that take so long
> 
> ^^ maybe that will help to resolve problem how big she could be


Justyna, do you feed that thing whole chickens? :lol:


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## Frey (Mar 20, 2011)

Not yet bus sometimes she look on me like on chiken  

Her weight when she is feed-full is the same like adult fully Rhombodera + male on her back  i checked it


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## yen_saw (Mar 21, 2011)

Thanks for putting the photo up Jus, many people calling it a mega mantis with 'guesstimate' size but not willing to post it next to a ruler causing all the size exaggeration. The one you had is slightly under 12 cm but still a *large *specimen as i have mentioned it in another thread.


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## Frey (Mar 21, 2011)

yen_saw said:


> Thanks for putting the photo up Jus, many people calling it a mega mantis with 'guesstimate' size but not willing to post it next to a ruler causing all the size exaggeration. The one you had is slightly under 12 cm but still a *large *specimen as i have mentioned it in another thread.


You're welcome Yen  

Heh, I agree  

Only few species is longer than this mantis but I never saw any massiver mantis before  

I will put on photo with Rhombodera spp. female to show a diffrences and how big Plisto could be , propably tomorrow morning or for 2 days when female will be full-feed


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## guapoalto049 (Mar 21, 2011)

Frey said:


> You're welcome Yen
> 
> Heh, I agree
> 
> ...


Nice! If you've seen any of my photo posts you know I'm a sucker for comparison shots haha


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## yen_saw (Mar 22, 2011)

Frey said:


> You're welcome Yen
> 
> Heh, I agree
> 
> ...


yes, and if you put species like A. multicolor next to this monster it will look like a baby. But the other way around if you place it next to the following specimen


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## guapoalto049 (Mar 22, 2011)

yen_saw said:


> yes, and if you put species like A. multicolor next to this monster it will look like a baby. But the other way around if you place it next to the following specimen


The first time I saw this photo on an old post of yours Yen I immediately bookmarked it. Now that is a MEGA mantis! Such a shame the _Toxodera_ species are so rare and difficult to raise.


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## yen_saw (Mar 22, 2011)

guapoalto049 said:


> The first time I saw this photo on an old post of yours Yen I immediately bookmarked it. Now that is a MEGA mantis! Such a shame the _Toxodera_ species are so rare and difficult to raise.


Many people believed it was more than foot long when i showed them this dried specimen


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## guapoalto049 (Mar 22, 2011)

yen_saw said:


> Many people believed it was more than foot long when i showed them this dried specimen


Haha I can picture that happening, much like supposed 6" Chinese mantids. This is one of the few I've ever seen a legitimate 6".

I love how you measured it on the same plane as the ruler. As I mentioned before many people take pictures of a mantid standing on one, which gives the illusion in a photo of a longer mantid.

Have you noticed stored specimens shrinking after dying? I know for a fact that a Chinese specimen I have was 9.8 cm when alive, but when I took it out of the freezer to pin it today it was 8.6 cm.


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## Schloaty (Mar 24, 2011)

Good Gravy, Yen! That thing is HUGE! Skinny, but still.

I think I remember the previous time you posted this pic.

Do you still raise these guys? Does that keep the neighborhood kids off your lawn?


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## myles (May 23, 2011)

PhilinYuma said:


> And that 10 zloty bank note! :lol:


thats a EURO bank note :lol:


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