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Photo#326362
Praying Mantis - Mantis religiosa

Praying Mantis - Mantis religiosa
Marin County, California, USA
August 28, 2009
Size: 5 cm
Is this one a native species? It was darker than the Chinese Mantids I'm used to seeing, and didn't have the "bullseye" in the armpit.

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Thanks for the ID
Except for the lack a bullseye it's identical to the other European Mantises on here. I was looking at photos of the Chinese Mantises and it doesn't look like they have bullseyes either - perhaps all the "Chinese Mantises" I've been finding over the years have been misidentified Europeans?

black armpit? might be European
That could be the European mantid. I think I see a black patch in the armpit. A couple of European mantids have been posted with black armpits minus the white bullseye. Let's see what other people think about this one.

 
I agree.
Only other alternative is a species of Stagmomantis, but females of those have abbreviated wings.

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