What level is my mantis?

[timp]

Hello,

Could someone please tell me what level my giant asian mantis is? I haven't had him since he was a nymph.

Here are some pictures of him and a standard size playing card to give some scale, alas I can't find a ruler. Click to enlarge.



Thanks in advance to anyone that can tell.

 

[yen_saw]

My guess is subadult male.

Been watching the poker game lately? :wink:

 

[Rob Byatt]

Two moults from adult.

Rob.

 

[Rick]

Mine just molted into adult so I would say he is subadult.

 

[Rob Byatt]

The wing pads are not overlapping yet, so it cannot be subadult :wink:

 

[timp]

So are we inconclusive about this? To the best of my knowledge he's only 3-4 months old but I dont say that with any certainty. Yen, how can you tell its a male?

 

[Rob Byatt]

Ah, didn't realize you can enlarge the picture. Before it really looked like the forewing didn't overlap the hind, so now I'm unsure myself !

Not looking good for me now :wink:

Rob.

 

[Rick]

I'm so sure its a subadult I will send you $5 if it's next molt is into an adult. Harder to determine male or female without a clear pic.

 

[yen_saw]

how can you tell its a male?

Female is larger and has wider abdomen even at subadult stage. As he is still taking food as shown in the pic, my guess is it will be at least another week or more before molting into adult.

 

[timp]

I will let you know next time he molts then, I'm sorry I can't get clearer photos, the camera I have at the moment is only a compact and the macro isn't that good.

I don't like to think that his next molt will be into adulthood, I was told he would live about a year and I think he's only about four months old. I've really enjoyed looking after him and hope he has a fair bit of life left in him yet, although if he doesn't I shall almost certainly get another.

 

[Orin]

It looks like a subadult female though it is hard to be sure with the lack of clarity on the underside of the abdomen. The female's abdomen ends in a point. It is a small individual but the wingpads appear too long (proportionately) to not be a subadult.

 

[timp]

I can't really take any photos of the underside of his abdomen, its being particularly uncooperative, this photo shows the shape a bit better though or is it only possible to tell from underneath?

 

[Rob Byatt]

Okay, I should always stick with my instinct :wink: With out a doubt it is one instar behing subadult.

Looks like a female.

Rob.

 

[yen_saw]

The wingbud looks too small now to be a subadult as compared to previous pics. Timp, do you know when was the last molt? My guess is sub-subadult male.

Female is to the left and male on right.

 

[timp]

Yes, the photos are not chronological order. The first three were taken january 12th, the most recent one I posted was taken on about january 8th, it last molted on 7th january.

Yen, thanks for those pics, I have to say that it looks most like the one on the left hand side of the photo.

 

[Rick]

Using the pics at the top I say female as it appears the last segment is large. Subadult.

 

[timp]

Sadly little Henrietta passed away while shedding her skin. She looked like the little wing pods were going to be visible and so i'm guessing that in the photos here she is sub sub adult?

It's a shame, I will miss her but I'm going to get another one, probably the same species as I wasn't able to see this one through to maturity. I think she just chose a bad spot to shed in, all was going well until then.