Sexing Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii?

[PragmaticHominid]

Noob question, but can anyone tell from these admittedly crappy photo if this mantis is male or female? I was 95% sure that it was a male, but I was looking at it more closely today and I noticed that the wings are much shorter than with the other males. It's probably just wishful thinking - I really WANT it to be female, lol, because if it is it will be my only female - but I thought I'd ask. I guess I'm confused because she/he is also a bit smaller than the others.

I've tried to count the segments, btw, but my vision is just too poor to do so.

 

[PhilinYuma]

It's a boy! You can count segments and examine the, ugh, genitalia, but a quick way is to note the length of the antennae (long = boy, though it would help to have a female with short antennae for comparison) and the fact that although the tegmina extend past the tip of the abdomen in both sexes, the females abdomen is plumper in girls than boys. And yes, I will talk to you about that business on Sunday, and see what we can work out.

 

[PragmaticHominid]

Ugh, I was almost positive that this was the case, but hope springs eternal, as they say.

Looking forward to your message, Phil. I found a seventh nymph that I'd forgotten that I had... and he just molted. Male, also. So that's five boys and one sickly little guy who probably won't live much longer, and who I am pretty sure is *also* a boy anyway.

If anyone else out there has girls, I'd be real interested in talking to you as well.