Nymph defect or delayed repair?

[CosbyArt]

One of my Ghost nymphs (Phyllocrania paradoxa) L2 arrived to me without a right arm. The arm was missing all the way up to the shoulder/thorax. There was no blood, and the shoulder area is flat without any indication a arm was ever there (no hump or cavity where a arm would go).

The arm wasn't in the empty container it arrived in (the container was clean and empty), so it happened before getting shipped. Anyway it arrived February 13, and was able to hobble around and even catch and eat Hydei flies one armed. The ghost seems well adapted with the one raptor forearm, and holds it at a angle near the middle of it's chest so it can swing it in either direction quickly.

It molted to a L3 February 15, just 2 days after I got the mantis. There was no new nub or arm of any kind, so I was thinking perhaps it lost the arm too late before the molt.

The nymph molted again yesterday March 4 to L4, 18 days since the L3 molt. After carefully looking today I noticed the nymph still has no new arm or nub where one should be.

How many molts are needed before any new growth is even visible? Could it have been born with only one arm, a defect?

I'm just curious what to expect as I have been giving the mantis special treatment to ensure it is eating and staying healthy. I will continue to do so as long as I have to. I am though starting to give-up on the idea it might be able to regrow the missing arm, and wanted to see what to expect.

The first photo is when the ghost first arrived. The last photo is of the ghost when it was finishing molting to L4 last night.

 

[PrayingMantisPets]

Wait a few more molts and see what happens. Two of my mantises are missing back legs l but I'm pretty sure they will grow back and be fine

 

[LAME]

Wait a few more molts and see what happens. Two of my mantises are missing back legs l but I'm pretty sure they will grin back and be fine

Agreed, wait a few molts buddy. Considering the damage it may take awhile.

 

[CosbyArt]

Wait a few more molts and see what happens. Two of my mantises are missing back legs l but I'm pretty sure they will grow back and be fine

Sorry to hear you have problems as well. Indeed, walking legs should resolve themselves. I've had one regrow a damaged/missing tarsus in a single molt.

I know it is said a regrown forearm will never be the same in use or size; however, if it has something, I won't have to worry about my mantis being able to catch/hold the larger prey it needs. So far thankfully the Hydei are working, but as it is now L4 I am starting to worry. I may have to try the thumbtack method.

Agreed, wait a few molts buddy. Considering the damage it may take awhile.

No worries on the freezer or anything to euthanize my mantis. I am keeping the mantis no matter the outcome, even if I have to hand feed it (but it catches its own food, at least Hydei, it can't hold a housefly though). Just thought I'd ask what is likely to occur regarding the forearm.

 

[Ranitomeya]

I have seen nymphs regrow missing parts of raptorials and it only took one molt. I am unsure if it's possible to regrow an entire limb from the body.

If the coxa, the part closest to the body is missing, it's likely that it will not regrow. My experience is that if an invertebrate's limb breaks off past the femur, the coxa and trochanter remains and the next molt reveals a miniature limb that appears to have developed behind the wound within the trochanter.

 

[LAME]

I had a T. sin (tripod) that had an entire rear leg missing when I found her. Her leg was COMPLETELY gone, no nubby or anything period. It took a good 3 molts before even the tiniest visibility of a fresh limb emerged. She received her new limb at subadult and mismolted at the last leap. Though she didn't make the last molting she did have her rear leg back.

I wouldn't give up hope until a few molts have passed CosbyArt.