mantis changing colour

[bunglehaze]

Hi folks,

I have just seen my mantis fully for the first time in 2 weeks and he seems to have changed colour. All his back is now a pinky red colour and green underside. He is a Neogonodactylus wennerae about 3 1/2 " long now.

cheers

leigh

 

[Hwarang]

pix?!

 

[Gonodactylus]

The color that N. wennerae take on depends on several factors including lighting (spectrum and intensity), substrate color, and diet. The reddish or orange color usually occurs when the animals are in low intensity, bluish light - ie, what they would experience at 20 m in the field.

Roy

 

[PSEUDOREEFER]

Mine turned from brown to an almost fluorescent green color.

 

[Gonodactylus]

The change to green is typical in brightly lite tanks with broad spectrum illumination. N. wennerae found living in shallow water are usually green.

 

[bunglehaze]

sorry hwarang, I have not got any pics of him yet - like I said I have only seen him once in the last coupla weeks.

Gonodactylus - the lighting/environment has not changed in the last 8 months of having him, but it is only a very recent change I have noticed. Do they pehaps take on a mating colour like most of my reptiles do during the mating season?

cheers

leigh

 

[Gonodactylus]

No change in color associated with mating has ever been found. The change in color can only occur when the animal molts and large adults of this species molt only a few times a year. A dramatic change in color can easily occur after several months.

Roy

 

[crazyrebel003]

mine also changes color it takes about a week sometimes it is green and sometimes it is orange i dont knwo what is causeing this

 

[Gonodactylus]

Are you sure you don't have two. I've never heard of a stomatopod changing back and fourth between green and orange this fast. While subtle changes can occur without the animal molting, major color change requires a molt.

Roy

 

[Dexter1334]

Mine went from red to green on his last molt. The only change has been putting his aquarium in front of a North facing window.
I don't know how much the light would affact him as he usually stays in his cave though.

 

[traveller7]

....Gonodactylus - the lighting/environment has not changed in the last 8 months of having him, but it is only a very recent change I have noticed.

Amount of natural sunlight entering the room as the seasons change, the bulbs getting older, etc.

 

[Gonodactylus]

It doesn't really matter whether the light falls on the body. The color change is mediated through what the animal sees and sitting in its cavity, it is still looking out at the world.

Roy

 

[bunglehaze]

It is a bad pic as I had to get it during feeding time... here is the flouro little guy!

cheers

leigh