Mantid Article On Yahoo

[guapoalto049]

http://news.yahoo.com/found-first-known-predator-lure-prey-mimicking-flowers-124636769.html

Thought this was funny

 

[Extrememantid]

Lol so much misinformation.. As well as they don't realize how many species of flower mantis there are and I'd like to know who these "scientists" and "researchers" are... Lol

 

[Vlodek]

Well if they have any proof such as use of pheromones or uv light to attract prey then somehow they might be right. But just because orchid mantis look just like flowers doesn't mean it makes them more attractive too pollinating insects. If it was true then other flower mantids such as Parymenopus davisoni or Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi should deserve to get a credit as well. I mean just look how P. davisoni looks just like H. coronatus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CivRoqPUxj8


Other species like P. wahlbergii or P. ocellata can also look convincing:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cNhTBT6kykc/Uokndu0TIAI/AAAAAAAAVjo/caza7KFYXt8/s1600/purple_orchid_mantis.jpg

 

[bobericc]

I hate how politics and religion get dragged into every conversation on there.. even mantids

 

[Rick]

What's funny about the article? Where is the misinformation in the article? I only see one article by the lead author but the other two are pretty well published. Holwell has done a lot of work on mantids.

 

[hibiscusmile]

hummm, interesting... now u guys don't fight! :blush:

 

[Dracus]

To clear any misunderstanding, here are the original papers:

http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1665/034.022.0106

http://www.actazool.org/site_media/onlinefirst/downloadable_file/2013/11/11/Hanlon.pdf

 

[nirotorin]

That's funny. I thought their mimicking flowers was already well known.

 

[Rick]

That's funny. I thought their mimicking flowers was already well known.

I think you're missing the point.

 

[guapoalto049]

Perhaps I was unclear, I like the article but thought the title was funny. 'Found! First known...' with a Hymenopus photo attached got me excited, made me think it was a new species or something.

 

[Orin]

They attempted to prove the orchid mantis does not just hide among flowers to hunt for prey but can lure prey with no flowers around, an old theory but one never proven before. I am curious how they explain away the flower disguise not being on the front side where the raptorial legs are.

 

[Rick]

Perhaps I was unclear, I like the article but thought the title was funny. 'Found! First known...' with a Hymenopus photo attached got me excited, made me think it was a new species or something.

I'm sure many have hypothesized that it is a flower mimic but it hasn't really been tested before. Like Orin said, it isn't exciting that it mimics flowers but that it can basically sit anywhere and pollinators think it IS a flower. It doesn't simply hide among flowers like many mimics.

 

[nirotorin]

Oh, ok. I figured they would have to be near other flowers. That's pretty cool they can attract more insects than some flowers on their own.

 

[MandellaMandy123]

My dad sent me this link a few days ago. I got really excited when I saw "Found!" but then I saw that is was just an orchid. :lol: Oh, well.

 

[Rick]

My dad sent me this link a few days ago. I got really excited when I saw "Found!" but then I saw that is was just an orchid. :lol: Oh, well.

I think you don't understand the significance.

 

[MandellaMandy123]

I think you don't understand the significance.

No, I do. I just thought it was a new species that could possibly be in culture soon. The experiment was very interesting though, since I always assumed that orchids were like other flower mimickers that sat on flowers for camoflage.