Exaggeration?

[Kruszakus]

Okay, I'm really sick of it. Each time I read something about some species, and then compare it with the reality, something is not right - it happened with allegedly 1 inch Oxypilus (which barely reach 15 mm), and with Gongylus (supposedly 11 cm, in reality about 8 cm). But now I'm really startled...

Here is the pictue...

http://flickr.com/photos/cledry/2790044403/

And here is the comment on its content...

"This Mantis is a female because this variety has no males! This one was a little over 7 inches long. Notice how well it blends in with the stems of the American Holly bush."

So... in USA one inch is defined as approx 25 mm, which would make this specimen of Brunneria borealis over 17 cm long... Am I missing something here?

 

[Christian]

Do you know that gag about how long 20 cm are? :lol:

Most species are overestimated. This is how the stories about 30 cm mantids arise... Brunneria borealis is just about 9 cm long.

 

[Rick]

I find those around here and they are pretty long. Seven inches? No.

 

[ABbuggin]

I find those around here and they are pretty long. Seven inches? No.

Same with me. The definitely don't reach 7"! :lol: the longest I've seen is around 4".

 

[Kruszakus]

Do you know that gag about how long 20 cm are? :lol: Most species are overestimated. This is how the stories about 30 cm mantids arise... Brunneria borealis is just about 9 cm long.

I did not hear the one about 20 cm... wanna tell me?

I really wonder why people do that...

A guy shows me, by using his fingers, just how long Idolomantis are - according to his hands they are about 16-18 cm, with 4-5 wide thorax... Geez...

 

[Christian]

It's exactly the same when you ask guys to show you how much 20 cm are... :lol: :lol:

 

[Katnapper]

We have the same joke in the U.S., but with 6 or 7 inches... hehe :lol:

 

[hibiscusmile]

:lol: I am not gonna touch that with a 10 foot pole :lol:

 

[sk8erkho]

the 6 to 7inches,me either!!!!

 

[yen_saw]

We have the same joke in the U.S., but with 6 or 7 inches... hehe :lol:

the 6 to 7inches,me either!!!!

Very naughty

So... in USA one inch is defined as approx 25 mm, which would make this specimen of Brunneria borealis over 17 cm long... Am I missing something here?

Personally i prefer to mention size with a pic showing ruler next to a mantis. (pic is an adult male Hierodula membranacea)

WHich is what measurement apparatus are for . Regardless of where the mantis is from or what unit is used. I have seen people using coins of their own country as size comparison but that means nothing to people who has no idea what it is. Guess ruler is more difficult to find than a coin :lol:

Brunneria borealis can easily reach 4 inches. Here is a pic of this adult female with a ruler (and that is not the largest specimen i have seen). But 7 inches is defintely the fisherman eyes theory.

 

[Orin]

Most species are overestimated. This is how the stories about 30 cm mantids arise... Brunneria borealis is just about 9 cm long.

Wild ones are usually 11, not 9 but certainly 17 would have to include the legs, antennae and some imagination.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Wild ones are usually 11, not 9 but certainly 17 would have to include the legs, antennae and some imagination.

Cummon, guys, surely this is exactly what he did! He's a professional photographer living in Orlando who likes pix of the Cornish (England, he's an ex pat) countryside and architectural bits and pieces. The pic on the link was an exercise in photographic design, with the diagonal of the mantis's axis reflected by the holly stems, not an illustration of Brunner's stick insect. He said that it was "slightly over" 7", which suggests to me that he actually measured it, and since he had probably never heard of "total body length", measured from the tip of the antennae to either the tip of the abdomen or an extended hind leg.

 

[kamakiri]

We have the same joke in the U.S., but with 6 or 7 inches... hehe :lol:

:lol: Depends where you measure from...

 

[Kruszakus]

Thank lord! I was afraid that I would have a mantis as long as my own... you know what, the naughty appendage...

Well - but the thing is, people who measure mantids in the proper way exaggerate the ###### out of the reality - the guy who sold me Gongylus told me that they can reach 12 cm... what a load of rot! I guess people will lionize everything just to get some extra quid.

 

[The_Asa]

There's always misinformation floating around that can get spread. And some people just have bad eyes :lol:

 

[yen_saw]

......the guy who sold me Gongylus told me that they can reach 12 cm....

While I have never seen Gongylus get to 12 cm, 8cm is rather small for an adult female.

 

[Kruszakus]

While I have never seen Gongylus get to 12 cm, 8cm is rather small for an adult female.

But that is actually correct - I measured a couple of females, and most of them were 8.5 cm.

 

[Christian]

Museum specimens are indeed larger.

 

[Kruszakus]

Museum specimens are indeed larger.

I know, I like totally had one 9.5 cm long female, but like 80% of what I've seen was really just about 8 cm long. I measured some females with a ruler and most were just a bit above 8 cm.