All-female mantis species?

[SneakyPsycho]

I was discussing insects with my friend, and I was telling him about a species of mantis that is all entirely female. He told me it was impossible for that to be the case, so I wanted to show him some information about it. I saw it on these forums somewhere, but I tinkered with the search engines and couldn't figure out where I found it. I'm wanting to say that it was found in Madagascar, but I'm not sure.

 

[Mime454]

It's in the south of North America. http://en.wikipedia....nneria_borealis

It happens in other, non-mantid species too. It's called parthenogenesis.

 

[Crazy4mantis]

the species is brunneria borealis

aphids do this too.

 

[brancsikia339]

also acontista multicolor and miomantis payukalli

 

[Crazy4mantis]

wow rly? didn't know that!

 

[TySAAAN]

Wait.. How is that possible though? Do females mate with each other or what?

 

[Orin]

also acontista multicolor and miomantis payukalli

Not really, in those species it's not common and generally doesn't work out very well when it works at all. In B. borealis it always works.

 

[Orin]

Wait.. How is that possible though? Do females mate with each other or what?

They do not mate at all. The eggs are all infertile and develop anyway. Since they aren't fertile they all grow into females that are essentially clones of the mother.

 

[TySAAAN]

Wow. Thats so weird! I wonder if humans could ever do this one day.

 

[Rick]

also acontista multicolor and miomantis payukalli

Wrong. There are males.

B. borealis is the only mantis species that consists of only females.

 

[Crazy4mantis]

Wow. Thats so weird! I wonder if humans could ever do this one day.

The world would be a terrible place if I were cloned. :lol:

 

[brancsikia339]

Wrong. There are males.

B. borealis is the only mantis species that consists of only females.

I knew they had males, but there are a lot of stories of parthenogenesis with this species. Even Yen had that experience

 

[Rick]

I knew they had males, but there are a lot of stories of parthenogenesis with this species. Even Yen had that experience

Correct, but the original post had to do with species composed entirely of females.

 

[brancsikia339]

Correct, but the original post had to do with species composed entirely of females.

Yeah. I gotta read before i write. Just stating possibilities for parthenogenesis