# Theopompa servillei



## summershow (Jun 12, 2008)

east asian bark/lichen mantis i guess would be the common name. 

adult female









adult male









i look at these and then i look at my roaches and its so clearly evident that they are somewhat "related". you have to love evolution!


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## ph0bia (Feb 21, 2009)

Roaches and mantids are as about as related as humans are to tigers. Somewhere right back along the line, yes, we may have a common ancestor, but it's a LONG way back. 

Remember, genetics isn't about looks, but workings and internals. Else it'd be valid to say that stick insects are common relatives to trees 

That's a pretty species though, I love creatures that camouflage so well! Like those bark beetles that are nigh impossible to see until they move.


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## MViper (Mar 25, 2009)

Stunning sp.!


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## $dean (Jan 19, 2009)

lovin the camouflage :mf_dribble:


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## summershow (Jun 12, 2008)

> Roaches and mantids are as about as related as humans are to tigers.


roaches and mantids are classed in the same order. humans and tigers are not classed in the same order. i guess we have different definition of "related". 

thank you though, i wish i had the right branches with the right lichen to really do their camouflage justice :blush: i have enough trouble finding them in their containers, can't imagine how impossible it would be in the wild :gasp:


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## $dean (Jan 19, 2009)

wonder how they do when finding wild caught ones :lol2:


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## summershow (Jun 12, 2008)

:gasp: don't even want to think about it. spotting them is hard enough, but even that is not even half the battle, actually catching them is whole other story i reckon. if they sense any movement they run around to the other side of the branch/trunk as quick as a flash and you're pretty much back to square one :Na_Na_Na_Na: if it were me i would just concentrate on trying to find an ootheca i reckon.


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## DannyLeigh (Aug 4, 2008)

Wow! That looks awesome, are they usually available? I'd love one of those! :mf_dribble:


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## summershow (Jun 12, 2008)

they're not usually available, at least not as much as most other mantid species in culture.


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

That looks cool! It's good to see some of the less common species!
I think "bird poo" mantis would be a better common name, lol.
How big are they when adult?


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## summershow (Jun 12, 2008)

they are a small/medium species reaching around 35-40mm in body length as adults. the males have long wings which take the total length to about 5cm.

as for bird poo mantis, some might say that's already taken by oxypilus sp...
(not my photo)










:lolsign:


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