Sphodromantis gastrica

African mantis
	Adult in the Kruger Park, South Africa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Mantodea
Family:	Mantidae
Genus:	Sphodromantis
Species:	S. gastrica
Binomial name
	Sphodromantis gastrica; (Stål, 1858)
Synonyms
	Mantis gastrica Stål 1858; Hierodula bicarinata (Saussure, 1869); Sphodromantis bicarinata (Saussure, 1869); Sphodromantis bioculata (Burmeister, 1838); Sphodromantis occidentalis (Werner, 1906);

Sphodromantis gastrica, with the common names African mantis or common green mantis, is a species of praying mantis from Africa.^[1]^[2]^[3]

It averages 65–75 millimetres (2.6–3.0 in) in body length, and has a very diverse diet, hunting any prey of reasonable size.^[4]

Previously classified as Hierodula bicarinata (Saussure, 1869) and as Sphodromantis guttata (Giglio-Tos, 1907), this species has been found in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, and East Africa.^[5]^[6]

Dorsal aspect of a late instar female, showing wing-pads
Immature female
Sphodromantis eating bee

References[]

^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2008-07-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) African Mantis
^ [1] African Praying Mantis
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2008-07-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) African Praying Mantis Sphodromantis gastrica, lineola, viridis and centralis
^ [2] Kudlanky.com
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-06-22. Retrieved 2008-07-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) The Praying Mantises (Mantodea: Mantidae) of South Africa compiled by Alfred P. Kaltenbach, Naturhistorisches Museum in Wien, Burgring 7, A-1014 Wien, Austria
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2010-06-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Working with Biodiversity - A Natural History of Tioxide

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[1] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2008-07-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) African Mantis

[2] [1] African Praying Mantis

[3] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2008-07-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) African Praying Mantis Sphodromantis gastrica, lineola, viridis and centralis

[4] [2] Kudlanky.com

[5] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-06-22. Retrieved 2008-07-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) The Praying Mantises (Mantodea: Mantidae) of South Africa compiled by Alfred P. Kaltenbach, Naturhistorisches Museum in Wien, Burgring 7, A-1014 Wien, Austria

[6] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2010-06-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Working with Biodiversity - A Natural History of Tioxide

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Sphodromantis gastrica

See also[]

References[]