1. Range

2. Appearance

3. Reproduction
    Hatching 

4. Behaviour
    Diet 

5. Additional images

6. See also

7. Bibliography

8. References

• Gryllus (Mantis) oratorius
  Linnaeus, 1758^[1]
• Mantis bella (Germar,1817)
• Mantis dentata (Goeze, 1778)
• Mantis fenestrata (Brullé, 1832)
• Mantis minima
  (Charpentier, 1825)^[2]

Range

Albania, Bulgaria, Brač Island, Korčula Island, France (Including Corsica), Greece (Including Ionian Islands, Crete, Cyclades Islands), Italy (Including Sardinia, Sicily), Macedonia, Portugal, Spain (Including Balearic Islands), Yugoslavia (Including Serbia, Kosovo, Voivodina, Montenegro), North Africa (Morocco, Algeria,^[8] Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, North Chad), Cyprus, West, Central and South Asia (Asian Turkey, India,^[7] Israel, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Turkestan^[7]),^[8] Non-native to the Southwestern United States^[8] (Arizona,^[9] California,^[10] Nevada,^[11] Texas.^[12]).

Appearance

I. oratoria is very pale when young but matures to grass green, and grows to about 6.5 cm long. The species may be distinguished from Mantis religiosa and other mantids with which it shares a range and general size and shape by the red-orange spot on the ventral side of the fourth (second to last) abdominal segment; also, its cerci are shorter than those of M. religiosa.^[5][13][14] The species is distinctive in having two large startling violet-brown eyespots on its hind wings which are revealed when its wings are unfolded. The adult is more slender than Tenodera sinensis, more like Mantis religiosa in shape. Females have wings shorter than the abdomen,^[5][14] very similar to some Stagmomantis species, but easily distinguished if the hindwings are visible.

Reproduction

Two novel I. oratoria survival strategies may have contributed to the expansion of this species beyond its original range, and its success in areas formerly occupied by other mantids such as Stagmomantis carolina. Firstly, this species is capable of parthenogenic reproduction when males are scarce. Secondly, additional I. oratoria nymphs may emerge from their oothecae in the second season after the egg case is produced, i.e., when their siblings are already grown and are producing their own offspring.^[15][16]

Hatching

At a field site in Davis, CA, S. limbata hatched earlier in the season than Iris oratoria, and Iris oratoria tended to persist longer into the year.^[15]

Behaviour

The Mediterranean mantis is known for two distinctive behaviours, apart from the ambush hunting common to other mantids: cannibalism and deimatic or threat displays. The sexual cannibalism of mantids known in popular culture occurs in roughly one quarter of all intersexual encounters of I. oratoria.^[3][17]

When the mantis is under attack, it sets in motion a complex series of actions which combine to form a startling deimatic display. The mantis turns to face the aggressor, rears up by arching its back, curls its abdomen upwards (dorsiflexion), raises and waves its forelimbs, raises its wings to displays the large brightly coloured eyespots on the hindwings, and stridulates by scraping the edge of its hindwings against its tegmina, the leathery front wings.^[18]

Diet

Compared to Stagmomantis limbata, Iris oratoria eats a lesser portion of Orthopteran insects and does not eat as much long bodied insects. S. limbata adults have longer pronota and forelegs than I. oratoria adults. This difference in body size might be an important cause of the dietary differences between the species. Furthermore, the earlier hatch date for S. limbata also might reduce the overlap in Iris oratoria and Stagmomantis limbata diets.^[15]

Additional images

See also

• Stagmomantis
• Pseudomantis albofimbriata
• List of mantis genera and species

Bibliography

• {{cite book | author=Crump, Marty; Crump, Alan (illustrator) | title=Headless Males Make Great Lovers & Other Unusual Natural Histories | publisher=University of Chicago Press| year=2005 | isbn=0-226-12199-2}}
• {{cite book | author=Prete, Frederick R | title=The Praying Mantids | publisher=JHU Press | year=1999}}

References

• Phase-locked loop ranges
• Phaselus
• Phase-modulation
• Phaseollidin-hydrate hydro-lyase (phaseollidin-forming)
• Phaseoloides
• Phaseolus lunatus
• Phaseolus multiflorus
• Phaseolus pauciflorus
• Phaseolus polystachios
• Phaseolus portoricensis
• Phase One (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
• Phase One Network
• Phase-out of chlorofluorocarbons
• Phase-out of fossil fuels
• Phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles
• Phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons
• Phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons
• Phaseout of incandescent light bulbs
• Phase-out of incandescent lightbulbs
• Phaseout of incandescent lightbulbs
• Phase-out of lightweight plastic bags in Australia
• Phase-out of lightweight plastic bags in the United States
• Phase-out of thin plastic bags
• Phase precession
• Phase reduction