CLOSED: Praying Mantis... What Kind?

Fort Myers, FL

I'd love some information on this praying mantis I found today... it was awesome! I have a few great pics of it I'll be glad to share if there's a way to attach more than one picture. Thanks for your help!

Thumbnail by ncaptiva
Fort Myers, FL

Here's another pic of it in an oak tree... he blends in PERFECTLY. So cool...

Thumbnail by ncaptiva
Fort Myers, FL

And one more of him attacking a stick I put in front of him...

Thumbnail by ncaptiva
Blytheville, AR(Zone 7a)

He sure has a perfect camo suit.

Jacksonville, FL(Zone 8b)

Maybe but these pictures are not good. Stagmomantis carolina http://bugguide.net/node/view/4821

Jacksonville, FL(Zone 8b)

Here is a better picture.

Sinks Grove, WV

This appears to be Gonatista grisea, known as a grizzled mantid or Florida bark mantis - see http://tinyurl.com/naur9s for an image. The bugfiles appear to lack any photos of this species.

Fort Myers, FL

Thanks for the help! The Florida Bark Mantis seems to be the closest ... nearly identical. The only difference is that the mantis I found didn't have those "wings" (?) sticking up, as it shows in some of the other pics I found (http://bugguide.net/node/view/159079/bgimage is one of the best). The other pics I saw either showed very green looking markings, or solid brown markings. I haven't found a pic yet that looks exactly like the one I had. Is it normal for certain types of mantids not to look exactly the same as another with the same name? Florida Bark Mantis seems like it'd be correct, especially considering it was in Florida where I found it. I've attached a more close-up version of my previous picture here just for kicks... thanks again!

Thumbnail by ncaptiva
Sinks Grove, WV

Gonatista grisea can be extremely variable in coloration, and the individual shown in the bugguide images was extending its wings in a defensive posture, responding to a threat. Many mantids exhibit this behavior. See http://tinyurl.com/y9ebnk2 and http://tinyurl.com/y9hb6aq for specimens whose wings resemble yours.

Fort Myers, FL

I hope these come out better... The originals I have are gigantic & you can see every detail.

Thumbnail by ncaptiva
Fort Myers, FL

Awesome! I guess it's settled then. Thank you!

De Funiak Springs, FL

In relation to the first photo, I'm thinking that I might have a better picture of that one standing up. If its not the Gonatista grisea (Florida bark mantis) or the Stagmomantis carolina, does that make this thread still open, because I haven't been able to find a name for this amazing looking creature? Who by the way lives in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.

Thumbnail by icarus7z7
De Funiak Springs, FL

I should've studied the photos closer because I see by the second picture posted by ncaptiva, that it is one of the two links given for the Gonatista grisea (Florida bark mantis) or the Stagmomantis carolina because of the wings and is shorter in length.

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