need help to ID without pics

[diabolus_sg]

hi all,(especially Roy)

need help to id this mantis,currently still in LFS,thus no pics now.

its a smasher, the telson part(tail) and the flap beside the antennae is purplish pink in colour. the legs are yellowish.

any clue wat it is? will try to post a pic later but will appreciate if there is a name or pic to id with.

thanks a million.

 

[Gonodactylus]

The gonodactyloids that I would characterize as having purplish pink on the antennal scales and uropods are some of the smaller Odontodactylus. In your area, O. latirostris is the most likely suspect. I don't have a picture of one up, but does it look anything like the animal at this address:

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/aquarius/signals.html

Roy

 

[Uriel]

Dr Roy,

I hate to second this problem, but a local LFS doesn't allow pictures either. they have a small (1,5-2") dark green (almost black) Smasher that I was considering buying. It has bright purple, almost violet dactyls. Any suspects characterized by purple weapons?

-Ron

 

[Gonodactylus]

First, I would not buy from someone who would not allow you to verify the species

Second, purple dactyls are common in gonodactyloids. I can think of at least a half dozen common species with this coloration and several others that are not common. I'm afraid that without a photo, there isn't much that can be done to id it.

Roy

 

[Uriel]

Well, it is that infamous store in the Avenues known as the 'Fish Purgatory'. The little bugger is priced at 20 bucks, which seems really steep for such a small little monster, but he looked interesting.
I will probably pass.
On the nature of dactyls, my G. Platysoma came out of his molt and his pale purple dactyls are seriously PURPLE now.

On Molts:
So, with both the Viridis and the Platy, when they emerged, they had taken on colors more in line with their surroundings. The Viridis became more dull grey with green/purple 'stripes', (coralins and the caulerpa, I reckon), while the Platy went from a more greenish to an almost pink/cream pattern, blending seemlessly into the rock of his cave.

Dr Roy, how do they do this!?!

Platysoma 'Hmm...I think I'll have to add a bit of pink, tone down the green and maybe intensify the purple on the ole dactyls here..." (Waves magic wand).

-Ron

 

[Gonodactylus]

Yes, most gonodactyloids have some ability to match background. MOst can't do as good a job as a Pseudosquilla, but I don't know any that don't change at least light/dark.

Roy

 

[diabolus_sg]

hi all,

manage to get a pic from the LFS.

so this is the little fella.

is it the O. Latirostris?