Mystery mantids

[Rick]

Friend of mine studying in TX said he found several ooths and the ones he collected hatched a couple days after he brought them home. He isn't into mantids so he sent me six of the nymphs. Three died enroute but three look healthy and active. They were found just outside of the Guadalupe Mountains visitor center on Pine Canyon Drive, Salt Flat, TX. Below are pictures of the mantids which are L1 as well as pics of their ooth. He thought they were ground mantids of some sort. I am waiting on him to tell me where the ooths were located. I tried matching the ooth up with my ooth collection but nothing looks similar:

















http://s13.photobucket.com/user/RTrone/media/Mantids/dfddd_zpsefc6d8c9.png.html

 

[sinensispsyched]

Stagmomantis sp?

 

[brancsikia339]

Definitely a stagmo

 

[hibiscusmile]

I know nothing!

 

[Rick]

The ooths were found attached to rocks a few inches off the ground. Which Stagmomantis sp. are found in that area that lays eggs on rocks near the ground? Yeah I pretty much ruled out any of the ground mantids when I saw these.

 

[happy1892]

Maybe it is a Stagmomantis montana. I think I have read that their common name is Arizona Tan Mantis. There is a Stagmomantis venusta that lives in the US but I think it is only in Florida. I found a small Stagmomantis carolina close to the ground hidden in a crack of a pot. Oh, and is the first ootheca (first picture) one of yours or was it one of the oothecae your friend sent you?

 

[happy1892]

Oh, no the Stagmomantis gracilipes is called Arizona Tan Mantis. So.....could it be S. gracilipes? Montana means mountain.

http://translate.google.com/#la/en/montana

 

[Rick]

All of the pictures are from the same ooth these mantids came from.

 

[agent A]

stagmomantis californica?

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=29333

 

[Rick]

stagmomantis californica?

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=29333

If that is a typical looking one I don't think so. If they are Stagmomantis I'm hoping they are one of the more uncommon members of the genus.

 

[happy1892]

I found a small Stagmomantis carolina close to the ground hidden in a crack of a pot.

I meant I found an ootheca close to the ground.

 

[Rick]

I meant I found an ootheca close to the ground.

I have to, but not on many ooths on rocks.

Anybody else have any thoughts? If not guess I'll just hope they survive and wait and see.

 

[mantid_mike]

stagmomantis californica?

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=29333

definitely not a californica ooth. if anything, that ooth looks more similar to stagmomantis limbata.

 

[agent A]

definitely not a californica ooth. if anything, that ooth looks more similar to stagmomantis limbata.

But limbo hatchlings r greenLimbatae infantes sunt viridae!

 

[MantidLord]

I have to, but not on many ooths on rocks.

Anybody else have any thoughts? If not guess I'll just hope they survive and wait and see.

I guess that's what you might have to do. Very interesting, best of luck in raising them. I hope they're not just a common Stagmo.

 

[happy1892]

Anything about them?

 

[happy1892]

Updates?

 

[Extrememantid]

Iris oratoria? I say L. Minor. But those are my two guesses

 

[Ntsees]

Iris oratoria? ...

No, it's not Iris oratoria. Their ooths are elongated and not round.

I'm rather curious myself. The ooth resembles European mantid, but the nymph isn't European mantid due to the banding on the forelegs.