Sexing a Californica...

[mantid_mike]

any tips? i'm pretty sure my Californica is a male, but he eats so much as an adult that i almost believe he's a SHE. here's a few pics, maybe you guys can help.

 

[aNisip]

That is indeed a female...

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Definitely a female. You can tell by the short wings.

 

[mantid_mike]

whoooo!! i hope she is. she/he has 7 segments on her abdomen though.

 

[aNisip]

The wing:abdomen proportion is a tell-tale giveaway as a female....

 

[Rick]

How could you ever think that was a male? Is this your first mantis? Short wings means female in the Stagmomantis spp. With adults you really shouldn't have issues telling gender. They look quite different.

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7110

 

[brancsikia339]

she

 

[mantid_mike]

How could you ever think that was a male? Is this your first mantis? Short wings means female in the Stagmomantis spp. With adults you really shouldn't have issues telling gender. They look quite different.

http://mantidforum.n...?showtopic=7110

not my first mantis, but first time w/ this species. as i've said before, i assumed it was a male only because of the 7 segments, but i've always felt it was a female.

 

[brancsikia339]

She is so crazily heavy bodied. Males are very thin with long wings

 

[mantid_mike]

She is so crazily heavy bodied. Males are very thin with long wings

the first week of adult, she had a very long and slender abdomen, yet another reason i believed it was male. it was only until recently that she's been getting nice and plump, which led to me re-investigate the sex.

 

[Rick]

the first week of adult, she had a very long and slender abdomen, yet another reason i believed it was male. it was only until recently that she's been getting nice and plump, which led to me re-investigate the sex.

If you had a male to compare to you wouldn't think it had a long, slender abdomen. It also has six segments. Count them from below. A male of that species is very petite with long wings. He is also quite small. The species doesn't matter. Females are more robust and their abdomens are wider. The genital structures at the end of the abdomen look completely different between the two sexes. Check out that link I posted.

Here are some pics of Stagmomantis sp.

Male and female genitalia. See how different they are?

 

[mantid_mike]

Thanks, Rick. i see the difference. I gave another californica to a friend of mine to raise. I'm hoping it's a male, but he hasn't gotten back to me. I do recall him saying that it had short wings, but maybe it could just been swollen wing buds (hopefully).

 

[Rick]

Thanks, Rick. i see the difference. I gave another californica to a friend of mine to raise. I'm hoping it's a male, but he hasn't gotten back to me. I do recall him saying that it had short wings, but maybe it could just been swollen wing buds (hopefully).

I'm glad it helped. The picture of both adults really shows the difference.

 

[mantid_mike]

I'm glad it helped. The picture of both adults really shows the difference.

sure does! do you still have those males? maybe you can send one my way and split some babies? my girl is getting fatter everyday. she molted to adult on 8/11

 

[Rick]

No. Those pics are probably five years old at least.