Other Common Names
Texas Unicorn Mantis (this name is apparently favored among captive mantis breeding enthusiasts)
Explanation of Names
The projection off the top of the head distantly resembles the horn of a unicorn, and the species' range is mostly Mexico and the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico
Identification
Head bears a pair of flattened dorsal projections between the eyes and antennae. Green wings, often with a few small brown spots; rest of body various shades of brown.
Range
In the US found primarily in states bordering the Gulf of Mexico; ranges south into Central America. One record from New York state probably hitchhiked north on an agricultural shipment.
Food
Seems to prefer flying insects much smaller than itself. In the wild frequently eats small butterflies and moths. In captivity will take flies, crickets, and occasionally roaches.
"Sit-and-wait" ambush-style predators, less prone to pursue prey than many other mantid species.
Life Cycle
Nymphs frequently curl their abdomen up over their back, in a posture reminiscent of a scorpion's tail, and also often hang upside-down from stems or branches in mimicry of a dead leaf.
Remarks
This species is becoming popular among captive breeding enthusiasts, not only for its distinctive appearance and large size, but also because its preference for smaller prey means that cannibalism is much rarer than in most other mantid species.
Captives have been reported using a defensive posture in which they raise the forelimbs, spread the wings, and expose the brightly marked abdomen.
See Also
Arizona Unicorn Mantis,
Pseudovates arizonae, though ranges apparently do not overlap in United States
Print References
Helfer, p. 26--description
(1)
Neck, Raymond R. 1980. Invertebrates of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas with Special Reference to the Southmost, Cameron County, Area.
Contributed by
Joshua Stuart Rose on 18 August, 2006 - 2:09pm
Additional contributions by
cotinisLast updated 18 July, 2008 - 7:16pm
