Physical differences between male and female Deroplatys lobata reproductive organs

[MantidBro]

for those who aren't sure of the sex of their Deroplatys lobata! Just tryna help!

 

[happy1892]

Here is another way from L4 and up you probably can tell by the pronotum. But at L3 they seem to be the same. But you can look at the segments underside of the abdomen at L3 I think.

 

[MantidBro]

Here is another way from L4 and up you probably can tell by the pronotum. But at L3 they seem to be the same. But you can look at the segments underside of the abdomen at L3 I think.

I saw that in google images, the differences in the pronotum, i tried using that method to sex mine but there wasnt as drastic a difference, they both have quite large "spikes". On the photo here the male's pronotum is smoother and smaller, on my male it looks very much like the female's. Ill take pictures later to show. Maybe ill catch something id missed once i do that too. I had guessed the sexes when they were at L4 but I wasnt positive til now, once they molted to L6. The photos i posted are actually my mantids, you can see clearly that one is male and one is female.

 

[happy1892]

Okay. As they grow older they would be different in pronotum shape in both females and males. But I thought at the same instar a female and male older than L4 or older would have different pronotum shape. Though maybe a male can skip a molt in D. lobata, I do not know. The above picture I posted is what I made, too. It is very easy to sex D. lobata by looking at the underside of the abdomen so the pronotum thing is not really needed.

 

[MantidBro]

Okay. As they grow older they would be different in pronotum shape in both females and males. But I thought at the same instar a female and male older than L4 or older would have different pronotum shape. Though maybe a male can skip a molt in D. lobata, I do not know. The above picture I posted is what I made, too. It is very easy to sex D. lobata by looking at the underside of the abdomen so the pronotum thing is not really needed.

I think my male may have one less molt, hes the same instar but his wings are much more pronounced. And as adults they have the same size wings, fhe males are only slightly longer, nothing drastic like with budwings. So his wings being twice as visible as hers is most likely an indication that hes going to reach adulthood before she does. Yeah i was surprised that at L4 I was able to guess their sex, by the segments, and turn out to be right. For other species ive owned it usually takes longer.

 

[happy1892]

Maybe you need a magnifying glass to help you see clearly the segments. I think so too about the male closer to adult than female because of much larger wing buds. And you counted each molt they had from L1?

 

[MantidBro]

Maybe you need a magnifying glass to help you see clearly the segments. I think so too about the male closer to adult than female because of much larger wing buds. And you counted each molt they had from L1?

Its not so much about not being able yo see, i realized on my t. Sinensis that by around L5, L6, if female, the last two segements merge and become one. Yes ive counted since i received them at L2 from aryia, she said they were at L2