New mantis ID

[Alex]

I just got this mantis he is about 1.5 inches long and here is a photo of him. I have over all photos but this is the best one.

Alex

 

[ADHybrid]

I believe that you have a Gonodactylus smithii. If there are 2 red or orange "eye" marks on his tail then I'm correct. I'm pretty sure he is a g. smithii by the blue marking on the inside of his raporial appendages.

 

[Alex]

How big will he get?

If you need another photo I have one that shows the tail markings.

Alex

 

[ADHybrid]

I believe that they only get about 3-4 inches long. Mine is about 3 1/2 inches long.

 

[Gonodactylus]

It is indeed Gonodactylus smithii, a shallow water reef flat species found in the western Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean. The largest I have ever seen was about 9 cm. The most unusual aspect of G. smithii is that females are nearly always receptive. I have seen them mate even while carrying egg masses.

Roy

 

[Alex]

Thanks for the info. Anything else I should know about him?

Alex

 

[Gonodactylus]

You can train them to threaten by bringing your face close to the glass and when it gives an "anti-predator meral spread" threat, quickly withdraw. After a few weeks of this, animals are very prone to threaten when you bring your face close to them - or perhaps just mine do it because I'm so scary. Anyway, this is how I managed to take many of the images that are scattered around the wed (and attached) of G. smithii threatening.

Roy

 

[Alex]

I noticed the speading out when I aproch. I have been trying to take a good picture but the camera never focuses intime or will focus on the glass.

Alex

Thanks for all the info