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Mantid

Mantodea fam.

Photo by Tiz
Published on Project Noah
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-21.9978, 35.3169

Field Notes

Description:

A black and shiny with white spots. Size was about 1 cm. It was preforming a preculiar kind of dance that can be seen in the movie. (quality is quite bad, but I hope you get the hang of it)

I found three of them in an square-meter sized area with shrubs.

Habitat:

Air-strip, shrub vegetation. Semi urban area.

Notes:

As written in the comments below, I thought this was an ant! I hope this is the last mantis that pulls my leg!!! At least the ant mimic spiders has the decency to have eight legs! haha

Species ID Suggestions

Mantid

Mantodea
stho002
1

Comments (17)
Tiz
Thank you stho002, It is time for me to add your ID information :) I think this is as far as we can get atm, but I will leave it on "Help me ID this species" just in case. Have a great day!
Tiz
Thank you so very much dear Lauren, for taking the time and explain this! Very interesting :)
LaurenZarate
In many species of insects, the first instar imitates an ant, and it may be the only time in it's life that it does so. I think because they are so small and vulnerable, looking like an ant affords them some protection through the difficult beginnings of their lives. Not many predators like to eat ants. As for the yoga dance.....no idea at all. First time I've seen that. Very cool.
Tiz
Yoga goes Electric Boogie :) I have some questions for all of you that knows more about this: A mantis mimicing an ant, is it because they eat ants and get closer to they pray by looking like one? And I dont understand why a nymph does this "dance" thing. It cant be a mating things...
LaurenZarate
Wonderful ant mimic! In the video, it looks like it is practicing yoga :)
Tiz
Thanks dear! But mine are more "ant-like" :D Thanks for your comment Laurence :)
Fanie
Tina Definitely a mantis nymph. There is a similar one here: http://www.ispot.org.za/node/177623
Tiz
:) You have a point there!
Fanie
Looks like it might have come out of Star wars as well.
Tiz
Thank you stho! A beer for you as well! Bye bye my cool Ant, and welcome Mantis! Life goes on :D and my ant spottings are just around the corner.. hehe
FaredinAliyevski
Of course this is not an ant, sorry to say it :)! Whaaaat, congrats sis! That means I will be seeing even more crazy spottings from you. I had the same issue with ordering couldn't decide it for a long time. So you are going home plus Poland that is perfect, enjoy it and thanks for the beer :)!
Tiz
I still hope that is is an ant!!! :) But no matter what, today is a good day! I have ordered a camera and a macro lens! It took me two monts to decide on what to get.. I will go back home in a week to pick it up and start to explore the fun during a short holiday there and in Poland. Beer is on me today brother!
FaredinAliyevski
Hahah, ups it did trick you :). You really have something special for ants that always see ants :)
Tiz
Nooo! Dont tell me I was cheated on an Ant-spotting again! This is bad news haha! But thanks for the interesting links!
FaredinAliyevski
Oh and if you are interested at looking differen organisms performing ant mimicry (Myrmecomorphy) :) http://www.flickr.com/photos/artour_a/sets/72157601257133742/detail/
FaredinAliyevski
That's a crazy one, but to me looks like an ant mimicking mantis nymph with those front appendages that it's moving and curled end part and the crazy antenna. Here is an example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artour_a/4975139125/in/set-72157601257133742
Photographed
PublishedAugust 23, 2013

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