Incomplete ooth

[cid143ti]

I noticed the first ooth produced in my communal ghost enclosure doesn't have the ending portion that extends away from the branch.  The second ooth produced by a different female does.  Could the first ooth be incomplete since it is missing the extension?  Would the missing portion effect hatch rate?

Thanks,

W. Smith

 

[CosbyArt]

@cid143ti The extension of ooth foam material is not a hatching tube, like a Brunner's mantis (Brunneria borealis), so it won't affect your hatch rate - see a Ghost (Phyllocrania paradoxa) ooth hatch video.

As to why the extension is missing on the ooth it could have been been broken off inadvertently by another mantid, the female laid a incomplete ooth (although it appears complete), or the female simply did not make one (some female species I've kept had occasional abnormal ooths I assume simply by their choosing).

 

[cid143ti]

Thank you for the reply.  I figured the extension wouldn't be where the young would exit.  Thanks for the link...very interesting.  I wonder if the malformed ooth is related to her death.  She was an adult for only a little over a month.  The other two females in the enclosure seem fine.  

Thanks,

W. Smith