Anyone know what species?

[MantidLord]

Hi everyone, I've been sampling ground mantids all summer in California and at first I thought they were the same species I had been catching in Las Vegas (which I had thought were L. minor). However, when I went out the other day to collect specimens (that were now adults) I found that not only is the coloration completely different, but the males have shortened wings as opposed to the species in Las Vegas. Can anyone identify either species?

Besides the pair I'm sending to Rick, I'll be keeping these in my attempt to establish a good colony (or culture?) before I sell any off but I must say the coloration is freaking awesome.

Las Vegas species:

 

[MantidLord]

California Species (crappier camera):

Note how short the male's wings are

Female

My favorite nymph, she's charcoal black, although the camera doesn't do her justice

Thanks and wish me luck!

Btw, contrary to what I said on earlier threads, catching the adults was more difficult than earlier in the summer. The reason being is that they weren't found on the edges of the fields running into the pavement. They moved further into the vegetation. I don't know if this was to avoid heat or to find better places to molt, but I couldn't just walk around and find them anymore <_<

 

[hierodula]

Litaneutria Minor? that all I got.

 

[automeris]

the California ones might be Litaneutria obscura? i recently caught some ground mantids in arizona and they looked like your Las Vegas ones.

 

[MantidLord]

Okay, so the Las Vegas ones might be L. minor while the ones I currently have are probably L. obscura. Makes sense. I know they can't be the same species. Even the eyes in "obscura" are more triangular than than the other ones.

 

[Extrememantid]

Remember how you were talking about selling some to me? Well... I'll take 4 of each when the babies hatch! Lol (but I'm not joking )

And I mean 4 of the L. Obscura and 4 of the L. Minor!

 

[MantidLord]

Remember how you were talking about selling some to me? Well... I'll take 4 of each when the babies hatch! Lol (but I'm not joking )

And I mean 4 of the L. Obscura and 4 of the L. Minor!

I haven't forgotten at all, like I said you're at the top of the list. Unfortunately, when I left vegas I let go all of my L. minor and I. oratoria specimens as I thought I couldn't take them with me to college . I was lucky to find I. oratoria here in California but the next time I'm in vegas, I'll definitely catch some L. minor again. However, since you're showing some great enthusiasm, I'll give you 4 extra L. obscura nymphs free of charge

And I'd say all is going well with these guys so far.

I admit mating them was a little weird. But I used the same technique I did with L. minor (or whatever species is in Las Vegas). Basically I have the female on one hand or a stick and the male on the other. I allow the male's antennae to touch the female's body and let his antennae rest on her abdomen or thorax. Eventually, he either starts to shake and tap with his antennae or look in her direction. It eventually ends up with him jumping on. These two actually started mating on my left arm :blink: but I was able to get them on the stick. I haven't had success mating them the "traditional" method. The male just doesn't seem to notice or care about the female.

 

[Rick]

They are really neat. And small!

Here is the one I had a couple years ago from Yen. He said it was L. minor. Does it look like your Las Vegas species?

There is one picture for L. obscura on Tree of Life and looks like it was added by Peter. Cannot see the wings which is the same situation with the pics on Bugguide. But I think that is what they are. There are seven species in the genus.

 

[MantidLord]

Yep, that looks just like the males I had in Vegas. They are cool, extremely fast and agile. A lot of the species in the genus seem to overlap though, so I wonder what the other species even look like.

 

[Kris Anderson]

[SIZE=12pt]The specimens captured in Las Vegas by the original poster are examples of  Litaneutria longipennis Beier, 1929.  The specimens captured in California by the original poster are examples of  Litaneutria minor (Scudder, 1872).  All of the other photos are indiscernible due to lack of focus/camera angle. [/SIZE]

"Praying Mantises of the United States and Canada"

https://www.researchgate.net/project/Praying-Mantises-of-the-United-States-and-Canada

[SIZE=12pt][/SIZE]

 

[Zeppy44]

Thanks @Kris Anderson