Mantises
Order Mantodea
Predatory insects known for their raptorial forelegs and triangular heads that can rotate 180 degrees. They are ambush predators with excellent binocular vision.
Species in this Order (136)
#9 Mantis
Pseudocreobotra ocellata
A small African flower mantis closely related to the spiny flower mantis. It has a prominent spiral ...
African Bark Mantis
Tarachodes afzelii
A small flat mantis with mottled grey-brown coloring perfectly matching tree bark. It presses its bo...
African Devil Mantis
Idolomantis lobiceps
A large, lobed mantis from the dry forests of central East Africa. It has pronounced lobes on its he...
African Grass Mantis
Pyrgomantis nasuta
An extremely slender mantis shaped like a grass stem with an elongated head and thorax. It sways gen...
African Ground Mantis
Ligariella trigonalis
A small mottled grey-brown mantis adapted to hunting on the ground among stones and gravel. It is re...
African Mantis
Sphodromantis viridis
A large, powerful mantis that occurs in green or brown color forms. It is one of the most commonly k...
African Pink Flower Mantis
Chloroharpax modesta
A delicate green mantis from tropical Africa that develops pink highlights when near flowers. It is ...
African Twig Mantis
Popa spurca crassa
A subspecies of twig mantis with an even rougher bark-like texture. Its flattened body and ragged ed...
Algerian Desert Mantis
Eremiaphila denticornis
A robust desert mantis with toothed antennae found in the rocky deserts of Algeria. It is among the ...
Amazonian Bark Mantis
Liturgusa amazonica
A cryptic bark mantis found in the Amazon basin that is almost invisible on tree bark. Its mottled b...
Ant Mantis
Odontomantis planiceps
A tiny mantis whose nymphs mimic ants to avoid predation....
Apical Flower Mantis
Creobroter apicalis
A small flower mantis from Southeast Asia with distinctive markings at the tips of its forewings. It...
Arizona Unicorn Mantis
Pseudovates arizonae
A bark-mimicking mantis found in desert scrublands of the American Southwest. A small horn on its he...
Banded Flower Mantis
Theopropus elegans
A striking Southeast Asian mantis with bands of green, white, and dark markings across its body. It ...
Bark Mantis
Liturgusa cursor
A flattened mantis that clings tightly to tree bark and runs rapidly across trunk surfaces. Its mott...
Bark Mantis
Theopompa servillei
A flattened mantis with mottled gray and brown coloring that blends perfectly with tree bark. It pre...
Bark Mantis
Liturgusa sp.
A flattened mantis species that lives on tree bark and is superbly camouflaged. Rather than ambushin...
Bark Mantis
Liturgusa maya
An extremely flat mantis that runs rapidly around tree trunks to evade predators....
Bearded Stick Mantis
Toxodera beieri
A rare stick mantis from Borneo with small lobes along its body resembling bark fragments. It was na...
Bolivian Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops boliviana
A dead leaf mantis from Bolivia's Yungas forests with exceptionally convincing leaf mimicry. Its win...
Bordered Mantis
Stagmatoptera biocellata
A large green mantis with two prominent dark eyespots on the inner surfaces of its forelegs. It uses...
Borneo Leaf Mantis
Amorphoscelis borneana
A small leaf-mimicking mantis from the forests of Borneo. It rests on dead leaves in the understory ...
Borneo Stick Mantis
Toxodera integrifolia
A large stick mantis endemic to Borneo with leaf-like wing expansions. Its wings resemble dried leav...
Boxer Mantis
Hestiasula brunneriana
A small mantis that holds its colorful forelegs in a boxing stance....
Boxer Mantis
Otomantis scutigera
A small African mantis named for its habit of rapidly striking with its raptorial forelegs in a boxi...
Brunner's Stick Mantis
Brunneria borealis
A slender stick-like mantis found in the southeastern United States. It is remarkable because only f...
Budwing Mantis
Parasphendale affinis
A sturdy, aggressive mantis from East Africa named for the bud-like wing stubs of the females, who a...
Budwing Mantis
Parasphendale agrionina
A stocky African mantis with short bud-like wings in the female....
Burmese Flower Mantis
Creobroter urbanus
A small, adaptable flower mantis found in Myanmar and neighboring regions. It is one of the few Creo...
Carolina Mantis
Stagmomantis carolina
The most common native mantis species in the eastern United States, occurring in green, brown, and m...
Cat-Eye Mantis
Heterochaeta orientalis
A large slender mantis with elongated eyes that give it a distinctive cat-like appearance. It is an ...
Cat-Eye Mantis
Pseudempusa pinnapavonis
A rare Southeast Asian mantis with striking peacock-like eyespots on its inner forearms. It uses the...
Cat-Eyed Mantis
Heterochaeta strachani
A spectacular West African mantis with enormously enlarged compound eyes that give it a cat-like app...
Cat-eyed Mantis
Stenocilla brevipennis
A slender mantis with large oval eyes that give it a cat-like appearance. Its thin body and limbs mi...
Chinese Mantis
Tenodera sinensis
One of the largest mantis species in North America (introduced). An ambush predator with remarkable ...
Colombian Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops soukana
A dead leaf mantis described from the Colombian Andes region. Its dark coloring and compact body sha...
Conehead Mantis
Empusa fasciata
A slender mantis with a tall conical head crest and feathered male antennae....
Conehead Mantis
Empusa pennata
A distinctive European mantis with a tall conical head crest and feathery antennae in males. Nymphs ...
Costa Rican Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops centralis
The only Acanthops species found in Central America, extending the genus's range northward. It inhab...
Dead Leaf Mantis
Deroplatys desiccata
Extraordinary camouflage that makes it look exactly like a dried, curled leaf — complete with brown ...
Desert Praying Mantis
Stagmomantis limbata
A medium-sized mantis common in desert and arid scrub habitats of western North America. Its colorin...
Devils Flower Mantis
Idolomantis diabolica
One of the largest and most spectacular flower mantises. When threatened, it produces a dramatic dei...
Dragon Mantis
Toxodera denticulata
A rare and bizarre-looking mantis from pristine Southeast Asian rainforests. Its elongated body and ...
Ecuadorian Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops elegans
An elegant dead leaf mantis from the western Amazon basin of Ecuador. It has refined leaf mimicry wi...
Egyptian Conehead Mantis
Empusa egena
A slender pale mantis found in arid regions of northeastern Africa and the Middle East. Its body col...
Egyptian Mantis
Miomantis paykullii
A small to medium green mantis native to Africa that has become established in parts of the southern...
Elegant Bark Mantis
Amorphoscelis elegans
A delicate bark mantis from West Africa with fine, elegant body proportions. It is one of the more g...
Erosion Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops erosula
A small dead leaf mantis with eroded-looking wing edges from the forests of the Guiana Shield. Its r...
False Garden Mantis
Pseudomantis albofimbriata
A small green mantis native to Australia with white-fringed forewings. It is the most commonly encou...
Filigreed Stick Mantis
Toxodera fimbriata
A stick mantis from Southeast Asia with fringed edges along its thorax and legs. The fringes break u...
Gambian Conehead Mantis
Empusa guttula
A West African conehead mantis with spotted markings on its wings and body. It is found in savanna h...
Ghost Mantis
Phyllocrania paradoxa
A small mantis with elaborate leaf-like extensions on its head, body, and legs. Sways gently to mimi...
Giant African Mantis
Sphodromantis gastrica
One of Africa's largest mantis species with a robust green or brown body. It can catch prey as large...
Giant Asian Mantis
Hierodula membranacea
One of the largest mantis species in Asia, reaching 90 mm. A voracious generalist predator that catc...
Giant Devil's Flower Mantis
Idolomantis serrula
A close relative of the devil's flower mantis found in the dry forests of East Africa. It has serrat...
Giant Malaysian Leaf Mantis
Deroplatys truncata
The largest dead leaf mantis species with a broad, flat body that mimics a curled brown leaf. Its en...
Giant Rainforest Mantis
Hierodula majuscula
One of Australia's largest mantises with a green body and reddish inner forelegs. It has distinctive...
Giant Shield Mantis
Rhombodera basalis
A large, robust mantis with a distinctive broad shield-shaped pronotum and vivid green coloring. It ...
Goblin Mantis
Amorphoscelis pulchella
A tiny, cryptic mantis found on tree bark in West African forests. Its mottled brown coloring makes ...
Grass Mantis
Pyrgomantis jonesi
A very slender mantis adapted to hiding among tall grass stems in savanna....
Green Shield Mantis
Chlidonoptera lestoni
A flat-bodied mantis from West Africa with a wide, shield-shaped pronotum. Its flattened body helps ...
Ground Mantis
Litaneutria minor
The smallest North American mantis, well camouflaged on dry rocky soil....
Guiana Bark Mantis
Liturgusa guianensis
A small, flattened bark mantis from the Guiana Shield region of South America. It inhabits primary r...
Hooded Mantis
Choeradodis rhombicollis
A Central American mantis with an enormously expanded, leaf-shaped prothorax. Its green, shield-like...
Indian Bark Mantis
Amorphoscelis annulicornis
A small bark mantis from India with banded antennae unique in the genus. It is found in the tropical...
Indian Flower Mantis
Creobroter pictipennis
A small, colorful flower mantis with green and white coloring and a single large eyespot on each for...
Indian Rose Mantis
Gonypeta brigittae
A small pastel pink mantis that sits among rose petals and other flowers to ambush prey. Its delicat...
Indian Stick Mantis
Toxodera maculata
A spotted stick mantis found in the forests of southern India and Sri Lanka. It has dark spots scatt...
Iranian Conehead Mantis
Empusa hedenborgii
A Middle Eastern conehead mantis adapted to arid mountain valleys and steppe habitats. It has a tall...
Iranian Desert Mantis
Eremiaphila iranensis
A small, pale mantis endemic to the deserts of Iran. It runs rapidly across gravel plains to ambush ...
Jade Mantis
Hierodula venosa
A bright jade-green mantis with a rounded thoracic shield edged in pale yellow. It is a common and c...
Japanese Giant Mantis
Tenodera aridifolia
A large brown or green mantis widespread throughout Japan and eastern Asia. It is commonly seen in a...
Javan Stick Mantis
Toxodera maxima
One of the longest stick mantises, reaching over 12 cm from Java, Indonesia. Its extremely thin body...
Jeweled Flower Mantis
Creobroter gemmatus
A small, brilliantly colored mantis with green and cream body and striking green eyespots ringed wit...
Kenyan Conehead Mantis
Empusa capensis
A southern and eastern African conehead mantis found in dry bushveld and savanna. It has a prominent...
Libyan Conehead Mantis
Empusa decorata
A decorated conehead mantis from the dry regions of North Africa. Its body has ornate markings that ...
Libyan Ground Mantis
Eremiaphila barbara
A stout desert mantis found across Libya and neighboring Saharan regions. It is nocturnal and shelte...
Lichen Mantis
Pogonogaster tristani
A small mantis covered in mossy-looking protuberances that mimic lichen....
Lichen Mantis
Liturgusa lichenalis
A small flat mantis perfectly camouflaged to match lichen-covered tree bark. Its body has a mottled ...
Long-winged Bark Mantis
Amorphoscelis longipennis
A bark mantis from West Africa with unusually long wings for its body size. Males are capable of sus...
Madagascan Bent-toed Gecko Mantis
Brancsikia aeroplana
A rare and unusual mantis endemic to Madagascar with flattened lobes on its legs. It closely mimics ...
Madagascan Marbled Mantis
Polyspilota griffinii
A large mantis with marbled green and brown wing covers. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its mottled co...
Madagascar Bark Mantis
Amorphoscelis madagassa
A small bark mantis endemic to Madagascar's eastern rainforests. It is part of the island's rich end...
Malabar Flower Mantis
Creobroter meleagris
A beautifully marked flower mantis from southern India with speckled wings. It is commonly found in ...
Malayan Stick Mantis
Toxodera gracilis
A graceful, slender stick mantis from the Malay Peninsula. Its elongated prothorax and thin limbs cr...
Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis
Deroplatys lobata
A mantis with an extremely broad, shield-like prothorax that mimics a dead leaf. It remains motionle...
Malaysian Orchid Mantis
Helvia cardinalis
A vividly colored mantis found in Malaysian rainforests with red and green coloration. It blends in ...
Mediterranean Mantis
Iris oratoria
A medium-sized mantis with striking eyespots on its hindwings used to startle predators. It is nativ...
Mega Mantis
Plistospilota guineensis
One of the largest mantis species in the world reaching up to 17cm. It is green with a massive thora...
Moroccan Desert Mantis
Eremiaphila moroccana
A small mantis endemic to the stony deserts of Morocco. Its reddish-brown body matches the iron-rich...
Moss Mantis
Haania lobiceps
A small mantis covered in spiny projections and textured to look like a piece of living moss. Its gr...
Narrow-Winged Mantis
Tenodera angustipennis
A large East Asian mantis closely related to the Chinese mantis, with characteristically narrow fore...
Orchid Mantis
Hymenopus coronatus
A stunning flower mimic with petal-shaped legs and pink-white coloring. Does not just hide among flo...
Pale Bark Mantis
Amorphoscelis pallida
A pale-colored bark mantis from tropical Africa that hunts on light-colored tree bark. Its transluce...
Pale Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops paraensis
A light-colored dead leaf mantis from the Para state of Brazil. Its paler coloring mimics sun-bleach...
Peruvian Bark Mantis
Liturgusa manausensis
A bark mantis originally described from the Manaus region of Brazil but also found in Peru. It has a...
Peruvian Leaf Mantis
Pseudacanthops lobipes
A mantis that perfectly mimics a green leaf complete with a leaf-shaped abdomen and wing covers with...
Philippine Flower Mantis
Creobroter nebulosa
A small, cloudy-winged flower mantis native to the Philippines and nearby islands. Its mottled wings...
Philippine Stick Mantis
Toxodera philippina
A slender stick mantis endemic to the Philippines found in primary forest habitats. It is rarely enc...
Praying Mantis
Mantis religiosa
The original praying mantis, named for the prayer-like position of its folded forelegs. A formidable...
Roeder's Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops roederiana
A dark brown dead leaf mantis from the Amazon basin named after entomologist Roeder. Its serrated pr...
Rufous Bark Mantis
Amorphoscelis rufula
A reddish-brown bark mantis from Central Africa that blends with red-barked tropical trees. Its rufo...
Saharan Desert Mantis
Eremiaphila braueri
A ground-dwelling mantis adapted to the harsh Saharan environment. It is nearly wingless and relies ...
Sinai Desert Mantis
Eremiaphila rotundipennis
A pale yellow desert mantis from the Sinai Peninsula with rounded wing remnants. It is one of the be...
Small Desert Mantis
Eremiaphila typhon
A tiny, wingless mantis found in the Sahara Desert that runs across open sand to catch prey. Its pal...
Somali Conehead Mantis
Empusa somalica
A rare conehead mantis found in the Horn of Africa's arid scrublands. Its sandy coloration provides ...
South American Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops falcataria
A spectacular dead leaf mimic from South American forests with crumpled, leaf-shaped wings. Its brow...
Spiny Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops tuberculata
A heavily textured dead leaf mantis covered in bumps and tubercles from northern South America. The ...
Spiny Flower Mantis
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii
Small, colorful mantis with spectacular eye-like patterns on its wings displayed in a threat pose. W...
Spotted Bark Mantis
Amorphoscelis guttata
A spotted bark mantis from East Africa with small dots scattered across its wings and body. The spot...
Springbok Mantis
Miomantis caffra
A small bright green mantis native to southern Africa that has become invasive in New Zealand. Femal...
Sri Lankan Green Mantis
Hierodula patellifera
A common bright green mantis found across tropical Asia and parts of Oceania. It is highly adaptable...
Stick Mantis
Popa spurca
A twig-mimicking mantis with lobed legs and bark-like body texture....
Stripe-winged Bark Mantis
Liturgusa algorei
A bark mantis named after Al Gore, found in the Amazonian forests of South America. It has distincti...
Sulawesi Stick Mantis
Toxodera celebensis
A stick mantis endemic to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. It is part of the island's unique fau...
Sumatran Stick Mantis
Toxodera hauseri
A slender stick mantis found in the montane forests of Sumatra. It is one of the few Toxodera specie...
Tanzanian Conehead Mantis
Empusa conversii
An East African conehead mantis found in the dry woodlands of Tanzania. It has a well-developed head...
Tanzanian Flower Mantis
Pseudocreobotra gratiosus
A graceful flower mantis from East African coastal forests. It has a predominantly white body with s...
Tanzanian Ground Mantis
Galepsus sp.
A small, dark-colored ground-dwelling mantis found in East African grasslands. It hunts by running a...
Tessellated Bark Mantis
Liturgusa tessellata
A bark mantis with a tessellated mosaic-like pattern on its wings from the Amazon basin. The intrica...
Texas Unicorn Mantis
Phyllovates chlorophaea
A medium-sized green mantis with a distinctive horn-like process on its head. It is found in the sou...
Thistle Mantis
Blepharopsis mendica
A graceful desert mantis with feathered antennae and a crown-like crest on its head. It has a slende...
Tiger Bark Mantis
Amorphoscelis tigrina
A small bark-dwelling mantis with tiger-like striped markings from East Africa. Its banded pattern m...
Trinidad Bark Mantis
Liturgusa trinidadensis
A rare bark mantis known only from the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. It is one of the few bar...
Tunisian Desert Mantis
Eremiaphila berndstiewi
A recently described desert mantis from southern Tunisia. It has an extremely flattened body that he...
Unicorn Mantis
Pseudovates peruviana
A slender mantis with a horn-like projection on its head and lobed leg extensions. Its green and bro...
Venezuelan Bark Mantis
Liturgusa fossetti
A small bark mantis from Venezuela described in the 2014 revision of the genus. It has subtle brown ...
Vietnamese Flower Mantis
Creobroter elongata
A small, slender flower mantis found in Vietnam and southern China. It has elongated wings with subt...
Violin Mantis
Gongylus gongylodes
Named for its elongated prothorax resembling a violin neck. Has leaf-like lobes on all legs and a di...
Wahlberg Mantis
Polyspilota aeruginosa
A large robust mantis with spectacular spiral-patterned inner forewings....
Wahlberg's Flower Mantis
Pseudocreobotra amarae
A small East African flower mantis with spiny projections on its abdomen and thorax. Its coloring ra...
Wandering Desert Mantis
Eremiaphila cerisyi
A tiny, wingless praying mantis that runs across desert sand like a spider. Its flattened, sand-colo...
Wandering Violin Mantis
Gongylus gongyloides
An extremely bizarre-looking mantis with an elongated thorax, leaf-like appendages, and a violin-sha...
Wide Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops platycephala
A broad-headed dead leaf mantis from the Amazon basin with a distinctively flattened head. Its wide ...
Yemeni Conehead Mantis
Empusa mendicaria
A slender conehead mantis from the Arabian Peninsula with a well-developed head process. It inhabits...
Yemeni Desert Mantis
Eremiaphila zetterstedti
A small, agile desert mantis found in the Arabian Peninsula. It is adapted to extremely arid habitat...