Meiji
Well-known member
Albinism definately can occur in insects. Out of the millions of nymphs forum members have raised, has anyone ever encountered or even heard rumor of an true albino (or melanistic or xanthochromistic) mantis? - Meiji
Albinism
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JennMantis
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I have two Chinese mantids that are now adults. One of them is brown with a green stripe on the wings and the other is very pale yellow all throughout. I'm assuming the pale yellow one is albino, but not sure.
Meiji
Well-known member
I am pretty sure that's normal color variation. The super-pale ones are cool however.
i have never had or heard of any albino mantids.
i dont really know what counts as true melanism but p.paradoxa can be pretty much totally black when adult. i think i remember reading in the book "the praying mantids" (http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&id=DpQtuB-EVSUC&dq=the+praying+mantids,+prete&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=llUpsZvdrN&sig=s3KSsMjklTDrfOOvcjsRVvo4wH8&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA109,M1) something about "fire melanism" and some mantids turning black (after moulting) following a fire but i have obviously never seen it myself or heard of this happening to anyone.
i had to look up xanthochromism (has never heard of it) but from what i understand it to mean, i have never heard of any mantids with this either, from what i read it seems to be something mainly vertebrate related?
i dont really know what counts as true melanism but p.paradoxa can be pretty much totally black when adult. i think i remember reading in the book "the praying mantids" (http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&id=DpQtuB-EVSUC&dq=the+praying+mantids,+prete&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=llUpsZvdrN&sig=s3KSsMjklTDrfOOvcjsRVvo4wH8&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA109,M1) something about "fire melanism" and some mantids turning black (after moulting) following a fire but i have obviously never seen it myself or heard of this happening to anyone.
i had to look up xanthochromism (has never heard of it) but from what i understand it to mean, i have never heard of any mantids with this either, from what i read it seems to be something mainly vertebrate related?
The Narceus millipede follows the strict definition of albinism but according to this abstract the grasshopper does not (though I don't have details I imagine the lack of color was not complete). http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v182/.../1821529a0.html
If I get time I think there were some photos of a Stagmomantis carolina posted a while ago that certainly appeared albino.
If I get time I think there were some photos of a Stagmomantis carolina posted a while ago that certainly appeared albino.
idolomantis
Well-known member
i,m as far i know (and a searched much on this subject) is that there were only a albino millipede.. never found the grasshopper 
but well, mantids can have a natural color of white like(lightbrownish) examples are the budwing, gambians, orchids, and ameles spallanzia+decolor(heindrechi is darker)
my ameles was first lightgreen when i cought her, she turned out very lightbrown.
but well, mantids can have a natural color of white like(lightbrownish) examples are the budwing, gambians, orchids, and ameles spallanzia+decolor(heindrechi is darker)
my ameles was first lightgreen when i cought her, she turned out very lightbrown.
harryallard
Well-known member
imagine an albino ghost
MANTIS DUDE
Well-known member
Would you mind not posting those violent war images? It's not funny.imagine an albino ghost
There is no known albinistic mantid. Even the very pale ones have pigments. Mantids have mainly two types of pigments: the green ones are situatued at the basis of the muscles just below the cuticle, the brown ones are found in the cuticle. If a green mantis turns brown, the new brown pigment covers the green pigments and the mantid looks brownish. The pale brown to yellow is just a variation of the brown pigment, also black (melanine). There exists fire melanism, particularly in Tarachodids, Oxypilus, Mantis religiosa and others. Melanism is abundant in insects, as it is easy to achieve.
On the other hand, pink, red and white belong to the green pigments.
As insect color consists of several more or less unrelated pigments (and sometimes iridescent colors which have a different origin) this may br the explanation for the very rare case of albinism in insects.
On the other hand, pink, red and white belong to the green pigments.
As insect color consists of several more or less unrelated pigments (and sometimes iridescent colors which have a different origin) this may br the explanation for the very rare case of albinism in insects.
Birdfly
Well-known member
Mantis religiosa exibits fire melanism, thats interesting, never seen one like it mind you but i did grow some increadably yellow ones. I am unsure as to whether it was the tungsten lights (Dry/hot environment) or the light level?
Off to find melanism in M religiosa now.
Off to find melanism in M religiosa now.
harryallard
Well-known member
idolomantis
Well-known member
Meiji
Well-known member
I wonder if fire melanism might be induced in captivity by raising the nymphs on a simulated charred enviornment (i.e. black construction paper or whatever).Mantis religiosa exibits fire melanism, thats interesting, never seen one like it mind you but i did grow some increadably yellow ones. I am unsure as to whether it was the tungsten lights (Dry/hot environment) or the light level?
harryallard
Well-known member
Partially yes. But natural light has a lot to do with it, as artificial bulbs will not yeald all color spectra found in nature. There were some old color change experiments with this species. It can achieve almost every color except blue and violet. But you have to paint the complete cage and its interior in the color you want to get.
