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Species Litaneutria minor

ground mantis - Litaneutria minor - male Mantid - Litaneutria minor - male Litaneutria minor - male wingless small mantid - Litaneutria minor Mantis - Litaneutria minor - female Mantid - Litaneutria minor - female Litaneutria minor Litaneutria minor - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Mantodea (Mantids)
Family Mantidae
Subfamily Amelinae
Genus Litaneutria (Ground Mantids)
Species minor (Litaneutria minor)
Size
25-30mm
Identification
“Pronotum distinctly longer than wide. Fore femur lacking deep pit or groove between first and second spines on outer ventral margin. Outer ventral margin of fore femur usually with 4 spines: antenna thin, filamentous. Fore tibia unarmed dorsoapically; more robust species. Small species, less than 35mm long costal margin of tegmen with dense coat of fine cilia” (1) (applies to the U.S. only)

Males have a brown spot near the base of the first pair of wings Females have a rough pronotum and no spot on the base of the forewings.
Range
In Canada: known only from the dry grasslands of British Columbia in the extreme southern Okanagan Valley near Oliver and Osoyoos.

In the U.S.: widespread; from Colorado and Arizona to Mexico, northwest to California, north to Dakota, and occasionally to Texas.
Habitat
A ground-dweller, but sometimes found on low vegetation.
Remarks
Very difficult to capture.
Works Cited
1.Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the Study of Insects
Norman F. Johnson, Charles A. Triplehorn. 2004. Brooks Cole.