How do you count the abdomen for sexing?

[Al&Nathan]

Can someone show me a clear photo of how to count the abdomen for sexing the mantids? Do you count from the ventral or the dorsal surface of the abdomen? What about the last segment near the tail? Are there one or two sections? It is so confusing. Please help!

 

[hibiscusmile]

Here Alan, go to this link before Rick sees this http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7110

 

[Rick]

Beat me to it. Do it from underneath. If adult do not count segments as their abdomens will be quite different.

 

[Al&Nathan]

I got it. Thanks very much. Do we have more pictures of other species? That was excellent demonstration.

 

[pedro92]

I got it. Thanks very much. Do we have more pictures of other species? That was excellent demonstration.

What species are you trying to sex? Or is this a in general question