Brunneria borealis' cute little red wings

Precarious · Dec 18, 2011

At first I didn't notice they sometimes raise their stubby little wings. Very similar to vestigial phasmid (stick insect) wings, which is interesting because they reproduce through parthenogenesis like many phasmids.

I have some ooths available here:

http://mantidforum.n...showtopic=23406

Cherub wings...

Termite48 · Dec 18, 2011

Henry, they are rather vestigial aren't they. Is it like this with both sexes?

Precarious · Dec 18, 2011

Rich S said:
Henry, they are rather vestigial aren't they. Is it like this with both sexes?

Only females in this species. No males have ever been found. They don't exist. That's why they reproduce by parthenogenesis, or "virgin birth". All offspring are clones of the mother. You don't have to worry about having 2 sexes or breeding. The ooths are automatically fertile. Very unique species.

lunarstorm · Dec 18, 2011

I'm curious, how many ooths did your female(s) lay? And what are your expectations regarding ooth yields (any guesstimate for nymphs per ooth)?

Precarious · Dec 18, 2011

lunarstorm said:
I'm curious, how many ooths did your female(s) lay? And what are your expectations regarding ooth yields (any guesstimate for nymphs per ooth)?

My females aren't done laying yet, but I have 10 between 2 adults so far.

I can't say for sure how many hatch from each ooth because I incubated the last generation of ooths in one container and they hatch sporadically so I never knew which nymphs came from which ooth. But Yen, our resident expert, says 20-30 nymphs.

http://usamantis.com/bborealisspecies.html

Termite48 · Dec 18, 2011

Henry: I think that the reason for the vestigial wings is that they do not have to flee the agressive opposite sex and therefore the red wing vestige is just for the special effect of the contrasting color. It is for our enjoyment and not to show off to the other ladies, because they all have the feature.

Precarious · Dec 18, 2011

Rich S said:
Henry: I think that the reason for the vestigial wings is that they do not have to flee the agressive opposite sex and therefore the red wing vestige is just for the special effect of the contrasting color. It is for our enjoyment and not to show off to the other ladies, because they all have the feature.

You got it. That and you will always find more developed wings on males of most species because the male generally has to travel to find the females "calling" with pheromones. No need for travel means less need for wings once the imperative to mate is gone. No males in the species? Even more genetic reason to lose the wings as there is no direct relation to males who need/have wings.

Just as with phasmids they are reduced to what passes as a threat sign.

Example:

Peruphasma schultei (not my photos)

patrickfraser · Dec 18, 2011

OOOOH! I feel threatened. :lol: I think those eyes are scarier.

agent A · Dec 18, 2011

cute mantis!!! i miss mine

i got a free L2 nymph from yen in april when i got my pseudohrpax ooths, but sfter she molted to L5 she refused to eat and keeled over

poor thing

Idolofreak · Dec 18, 2011

Pretty wings. Nice shade of red.

Sneaky123 · Aug 6, 2012

Cool I didn't know brunners had wings. Not sure if the wings could actually shrink over the generations tho: it depends on whether or not the mantids r exact clones of their mother I guess

Precarious · Aug 6, 2012

Sneaky123 said:
Cool I didn't know brunners had wings. Not sure if the wings could actually shrink over the generations tho: it depends on whether or not the mantids r exact clones of their mother I guess

I would guess the wings become unnecessary in a species that reproduces by parthenogenesis. Same seems to happen with phasmids capable of parthenogenesis. Wings are mainly used by the males when tracking down the females by following her pheromone trail. There are no known males of the species Brunnaria borealis so they are committed to parthenogenesis. Still, makes you wonder, if they are producing clones what caused the wings to shrink to begin with?

...

I guess I should have re-read the thread before posting because I'm pretty much repeating myself. :wacko:

OctoberRainne · Aug 6, 2012

The wing colors are lovely on both of these

Paradoxica · Aug 6, 2012

If every simgle mantis produces fertile ooths won't your house be overflowing with nymphs within a year or two, or do you have to do some sort of population control?

Precarious · Aug 6, 2012

Paradoxica said:
If every simgle mantis produces fertile ooths won't your house be overflowing with nymphs within a year or two, or do you have to do some sort of population control?

Like any species you will have nymphs that die off before reaching adulthood but each generation I sell both ooths and nymphs. I usually only keep a few nymphs for myself. I just sold all my nymphs except for one that is an interesting color.

Brunneria borealis - The White Lady

And the ooths hatch only a few nymphs at a time so the 3 I'm incubating will continue to drop a nymph here and there through the whole summer. Sometimes it takes up to a year for all the nymphs to emerge. Very strange species.

Krissim Klaw · Aug 6, 2012

So pretty, I've been meaning to try this species out. If I remember correctly this is a speices that is native to southern USA? How are they as far as keeping?

Mvalenz · Aug 6, 2012

Those wings are so cute!

Precarious · Aug 6, 2012

Krissim Klaw said:
So pretty, I've been meaning to try this species out. If I remember correctly this is a speices that is native to southern USA? How are they as far as keeping?

Yeah, native US. Fairly easy. Just have to keep up humidity and give good ventilation. They're very different from any other species I've kept.

Krissim Klaw · Aug 6, 2012

Precarious said:
Yeah, native US. Fairly easy. Just have to keep up humidity and give good ventilation. They're very different from any other species I've kept.

They look so dainty and slender. I noticed your link and saw a picture of one of yours eating a cricket. So do they tend to do well taking a wide range of prey items? I know most people on here don't handle their mantises much but with what handling you have done how do you find them to be temperment wise? Are they super skittish? What is their activity level like as far as crawling about? I'm also curious about the life span? Sorry for all the questions.

Brunneria borealis' cute little red wings

Help Support Mantidforum:

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

the autistic flower mantis

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!