Family:
Hymenopodidae (flower mantids)
Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda
> Insecta
(insects) >
Dictyoptera
> Mantodea (mantids)
The
Hymenopodidae are the most attractive of the mantids often mimicing flowers.
They have a raised process in the middle of their head and the inner margins of
the front femora have alternating short and long spines with those on the tibiae
being closely spaced and laying at an angle. The fore wings are often
decorated with bands or spiral markings making it look rather like a target or
bulls eye and also
aids in frightening off attackers.
The females are sometimes short winged.
This
family is found throughout the tropics except in Australia.
Page by Dawn Larsen |