Theopropus elegans
Species of praying mantis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Theopropus elegans, common name banded flower mantis, is a species of praying mantis native to Southeast Asia.[1][2][3]
| Theopropus elegans | |
|---|---|
| |
| Female at Zoologische Staatssammlung München | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Mantodea |
| Family: | Hymenopodidae |
| Genus: | Theopropus |
| Species: | T. elegans |
| Binomial name | |
| Theopropus elegans Westwood, 1832 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Until their first moult, nymphs have red and black exoskeletons that aid them in ant mimicry. They are green and white starting at their second instar, and adults are similar in size and appearance to Creobroter species. Adult females are up to 5 cm in length, while males only grow to 3 cm long, due to the sexual dimorphism common in mantises. Both sexes have green and white spots with bright orange hind wings and a large, white, transverse stripe on the forewings.[4][5]
Individuals of T. elegans hatched from a single ootheca and reared under the same conditions can show color variation between red, green, and yellow tones. Individuals can also change their color in as little as a week.[6]
