Phyllovates chlorophaea
Texas unicorn mantis
General Information
| Scientific name: | Phyllovates chlorophaea |
| Common name: | Texas unicorn mantis |
| Distribution: | Texas & Mexico |
| Habitat: | Warm and dry areas |
| Size: | Female ~ 8 cm Male ~ 7 cm |
| Livespan: | Weibchen ~ year Male less then 1 year |
| Colour variations: | None |
| Aggressivity: | Low* |
| Difficulty: | Middle (heat-loving & food specialist) |
*group-housing in all stages possible
No guarantee against cannibalism! Always feed very well – especially adult females.
Systematics
| Order: | Mantodea |
| Family: | Mantidae |
| Subfamily: | – |
| Genus: | Phyllovates |
First description (year): BLANCHARD (1836)
Keeping
Enclosure (LxWxH):
- Single-housing: from 20 x 20 x 23 cm
- Group-housing: from 45 x 45 x 50 cm for 3 couples
- Small nymphs can be reared in smaller enclosures (for moulting they need twice their body length free space downwards)
Two ventilation areas (gaze at top + front) adviced to prevent waterglogging..
Temperature:
Days 25 – 28 °C, nights room temperature
Relative humidity:
Days ~ 50%, nights ~ 60%
Set-upv:
- Substrate: Soil, sand, kitchen paper, gravel, coco humus etc. (animals seldom stay on the ground)
- Branches (also horizontal/bent)
- Gaze an der Deckel von Vorteil.
Do not use metal gaze, as this can damage their claws so the cannot hold themselves anymore! - Living or artificial plants (Beware of pesticides!)
- Clean with vinegar or biodegradable glass cleaner (afterwards rinse with clear water)
Feeding Recommendation
| L1 | Small fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) |
| L2/L3 | Big fruit flies (Drosophila hydei) |
| L4/L5 | Greenbottle flies |
| L6 to adult | Green- and Bluebottle flies |
This species should only be fed with flying insects!
Gender Determination
In general: 8 visible sternites (ventral segments) at males, 6 at females (compare with Hierodula membranacea).
Additionally:
- from L3/L4: Females have 5 visible abdominal appendances (“spines at the belly”), males 6 appendances (and last one usually smaller)
Biology
Adult stage (= full-grown + winged):
–
Amount of moults variates (especially under abnormal temperatures or injuries)
Sexually mature after adult moult:
Males ~ 2 weeks
Females ~ 3 weeks
Copulation duration:
~ 3 hours
Oothecae (egg-cases)
Size: –
Form: round
Colour: brown-red
Oviposition place: thin branches
First ooth after adult moult: ~ 3 – 4 weeks
Interval: ~ 14 days
Amount: ~ 6 oothecae
Incubation and hatch
Duration: ~ 4 – 6 weeks
Temperatures like animals (see above), rel. humidity over 50% (with good ventilation)
Nymph quantity: up to 50 (avergae 30)
Size freshly hatched (L1): –
All given information only for orientation. Actual facts always depend on temperature and food availibility etc.!
More
Sources
- www.swissmantis.ch (November 2007) Website not available anymore
