Hi again.
Interesting to follow this discussion. I remember some other thread dealing with
Toxodera where I said some similar things causing some unfriendly reactions... :roll:
However, there is a point which has to be discussed: CAMantis said
any thing that is related to the cockroach and eats them are hard to kill thay are a primative speies thay dont need that much.
Although it's a little bit tricky for me as a German to figure out the slang, I think I've understood it. Now, you're wrong:
Metallyticus (known from India to the Great Sundas), as well as the South American
Mantoida and
Cheteessa, may be
phylogenetically primitive compared to other mantids. That does not mean that they are
ecologically primitive. There is an old report which observed
Metallyticus to feed exclusively on cockroaches. However, noone knows yet whether it is true or not. If this should turn out to be true, this means that they are specialists rather than generalists and this means they cause more problems than other mantids. In fact, most more primitive mantids are to some extent specialised, particularly regarding food. E.g., that's why most of those do not well in early stages when fed exclusively with fruit flies. Those seem to be mostly ant specialists which have to be fed on
Thermobium, and still some of those do not make it. This applies to most ground and bark dwellers from the families Amorphoscelididae, Eremiaphilidae, Thespidae, Liturgusidae and Tarachodidae, all families which are currently placed
basally to Mantidae, out of which most species are bred. Mantidae are typical ambush generalists which do not cause severe feeding problems. Now this was just about food, climatic and microhabitat problems add to this. Do you still think three generations of some member of Mantidae will qualify any one as capable to deal with every species?
Please do not understand this as a assault again, just think about it.
Regards,
Christian