Threat Displays:Surprise, I'm not a Leaf!

[minomantis]

One thing that always intrigued me were the threat displays of mantises. My thoughts often are, why are some so dramatic (eye spots and bright colors) while others are pretty neutral (colors between abdominal segments, but clear wings and other subdued colors) 

I'm so curious on what triggers a certain type of threat display because they all display differently (some use their abdomen to 'hiss', most sway back and forth, some wave their arms, others click and more). 

Growing up I had Chinese mantises and they have black wings. While doing more research in general as the years went on, I've seen some pretty elaborate displays from Mantids. I used to think every mantis had eye spots on their wings and bright colors on their wings, but that's not the case.

I don't really know what my exact question is and I could go further with my thoughts, but anyone have overall thoughts on threat displays?

 

[hysteresis]

I once accidentally dropped a deli lid (really gently) on our old Lola girl. She gave me quite the display. LoL.

 

[FeistyMcGrudle]

My initial guess would be how prone to predation each specific species is, and how well the threat display works. Given that our current understanding of evolution is survival of the fittest, I would imagine the species that have such vivid displays have gone through hundreds, if not thousands (millions, maybe?), of generations for these species to become what we see today.

But I'm a simpleton in regards to evolutionary biology and have no basis of these opinions other than what I can remember of highschool biology 15 years ago, and pulling out of thin-air.

It's a great question though, and one of the many reasons I love these little critters

 

[hysteresis]

And what if somehow the success of specimens with brighter displays and eagerness to display goes hand in hand with some other attribute that keeps them alive to pass along these traits?

I mean, most predators will take a mantis, display or not. Plausible?

 

[MantisGirl13]

I just got a threat display from my Spiny! So pretty, I love the eyespot.



- MantisGirl13

 

[minomantis]

@hysteresis

Agreed. I don't know how the dead leaf mantises fair! (Their threat display is pretty alarming), but the Chinese Mantids are a delicacy here to the neighborhood birds.

In terms of evolution @FeistyMcGrudle I know some organisms can express changes in as little time as the next generation. So many variables lol.