Mini Mantis Mohawk
How many mantises do you see in this image? The two mantises shown are among the largest and smallest of all mantises. While they seem to be getting along fine, most mantises like to keep to themselves.
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DownloadMini Mantis Mohawk
How many mantises do you see in this image? The two mantises shown are among the largest and smallest of all mantises. While they seem to be getting along fine, most mantises like to keep to themselves.
What am I looking at?
Here we see the face and head of a Solygia sulcatifrons mantis (1) with a tiny Bolbe pigmea (2) mantis perched on its head.
Biology in the Background
These two mantises are a study in contrasts within the mantis family. The larger mantis, known as Solygia sulcatifrons, is one of the longest mantises in the world, measuring up to 20 centimeters in length (nearly 8 inches). This species lives in savannas and other grasslands. Its long thin body and greenish-tan coloring help it blend in perfectly with blades of grass while hunting or hiding from predators.
The smaller mantis, known as Bolbe pigmea or the common ground mantis, is the smallest mantis in the world, measuring only 1 centimeter in length (a little less than a half inch). This species lives on the ground or brush in Australia. Its tiny body and dark brown-gray coloration allow it to blend in with small twigs and other debris littering the ground. While this mantis may be tiny, it is still a predator. It hunts smaller insects or grubs by ambushing them, using its powerful forelegs to grasp and hold its prey while it eats.
Technique
This image was created using macrophotography.
TagsIgor Siwanowicz, HHMI's Janelia Research Campus