mantis species from cameroon, pictures

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wingless

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hi - just back from cameroon and did quite a bit of mantid searching, anyone any ideas of species? Pictures can be found http://www.eagleheights.co.uk/insects/

New to the forum, thanks in advance for any help. I have an idea of some sp such as Plistospilota guineensis? and creobroter sp. Please dont steal the pictures, if you would like to use them in any website or publication please contact me, i have no problems as long as i receive proper credits. email - [email protected]

Regards

Robbie

 
These are really good pictures! How long have you been in Cameroon? Did you see all these in one trip? How common are they? The 'creo' looks more like a Theopropus Elegans to me though.

 
Hi,

I was there for 2 months travelling around, mainly searching for birds of prey. I saw all species pictured in one small area called Mfou/Mefou forest south of the capital, Yaounde. I brought back several oothecas which have went to a friend here in the UK. I used to keep alot of inverts but dont have the time any more. As for species, who knows - i was hoping someone here can help! :) As for theopropus elegans, i think they have pointed eyes and also come from asia? Not sure, I have done some brief searching on the net.

Im returning to cameroon in november this year, there are plenty more species to find!

Thanks

Robbie

 
glad people are enjoying the pics, i think that the plain green mantis P1010133 is alolamantis muta now after some searching. Im waiting on prints to come back of the photos too, hope they turn out well. Those flies by the way were enormous things, you could see the big sucker-like mouthparts working away on the fruit (papaya), very wierd!

Robbie

 
:shock: :shock: :shock:

Wow, what a bunch of species! Ich may try to identify some genera, but identification to species level is mostly not possible from photos.

Now, here my suggestions to the mantids only:

The Creo is indeed a Chlidonoptera species. Male

femteno seems to be a Calospilota female.

g is probably a Sphodromantis male.

The huge one is a Plistospilota, but not guineensis, as the fore coxae are dark, not red.

I'm not sure about langy: maybe a Sphodromantis, or a Calospilota, or something different. Specimens would be desireable.

Male leaf seems to be the male to langy.

Malemant seems to be the male to the Plistospilota female above.

Moss is probably a Catasigerpes male.

Nymph is by far too small to be identified. Something between Calospilota, Plistospilota and Polyspilota.

P1010006 is probably the same species as g.

P1010007 et al. is a Stenopyga female.

P1010012 is a Paramantis or Alalomantis. I can look in my literature when I return from a trip. At the moment I have to rely on what I can remember instantly.

P1010021 and P1010030 is a Leptocola female.

P1010024 is the male to P1010012.

P1010067 again the Plistospilota female.

P1010077 is probably a Polyspilota species. There are several in Cameroon.

P1010078: maybe the same species.

P1010091 et al. see femteno.

P1010094: some Tropidomantinae. Hard to say which genus.

P1010100: again too small for identification.

P1010108: some Amorphoscelis or allied genera (Caudatoscelis, Maculatoscelis or others, not distinguishable from a photo).

P1010111 et al.: a Sibylla species, there are several in Cameroon. It's not pretiosa.

P1010115: again a Plistospilota male.

P1010128: a Polyspilota male.

This is for the moment, others are to follow.

Regards,

Christian

 
P1010133: the Paramantis/Alalomantis thing.

P1010135: probably an Anasigerpes male.

ppairmant is a pair of the Paramantis/Alalomantis.

smallnymph is.. well... small. :lol:

sphid seems to be the same species as femteno.

spikygreen et al. is Leptosibylla gracilis, a monotypic genus endemic to the Cameroon/Gaboon area.

stick bottle is again a Leptocola female.

subbig: a Polyspilota larva.

te & ten: hard to say, probably a Calospilota male.

So, that's it. Which species will be available, that is, the ooths of which one did you bring to the UK?

Regards,

Christian

 
hi Christian - WOW thanks for that list, much appreciated! As for which species will be available i have no idea yet. The oothecas were collected seperate to the mantids, of which i dont have pictures, so it will be wait and see im afraid. When i go back again november time i plan to organise proper collecting and will send back live mantids. Ive been trying to organise some locals to do it, but if youve ever seen the list of dodgy cameroonian insect exporters on internet forums its no different in the country itself, the majority just cannot be trusted, so i will have to do it myself!

Thanks

Robbie

 
Do you know of any other pictures of the Leptosibylla gracilis ? It was the most interesting mantis i found in my opinion!

 
HEllo all,

The pics witht the Lucaniade beetles are Homoderus mellyi male long mandible and female darker elytra and smaller mandibles.

some megalorhina sp,eudicella sp, stephanorrhina princeps.

I will look at the pic's number to match with the names.

excellent pics.

regards

PS If you have several dead speciemens as well as not good or empty/unfertile ooths I would love to buy some for my pinned collection.

FT

USA

 
@wingless:

In my opinion, too. I do not remember other pictures of Leptosibylla, just a somewhat famous one of a Presibylla larva.

Christian

 

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