European mantis

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European mantis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Mantodea Family: Mantidae Genus: Mantis Species: M. religiosa
Binomial name
Mantis religiosa Linnaeus, 1758

Mantis religiosa, referred to as the European mantis outside of Europe (and known simply as the Praying mantis in Europe and elsewhere), is one of the most well-known and widespread species of the order Mantodea. Originating in southern Europe, the European mantis was introduced to North America in 1899 on a shipment of nursery plants. Now they are found all over north-eastern America (east of the Mississippi River) to the Pacific Northwest. The European mantis is usually 2-3 inches in length, and has shades of bright green to tan. It can be distinguished easily by a black-ringed spot beneath the fore coxae. It is one of several different insects for which a name used within Europe to refer to only a single insect species (in this case, "praying mantis") has become adopted throughout the globe to refer to the larger group of insects to which that one species belongs (e.g., compare "hornet" to European hornet, or "wasp" to Common wasp).

Despite being an introduced species, it is the official state insect of Connecticut.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ STATE OF CONNECTICUT, Sites º Seals º Symbols; Connecticut State Register & Manual; retrieved on January 4, 2007

[edit] External links

• Photographs of European mantis

[edit] Additional images