New Praying Mantis Species Discovered in Rwanda
Posted on May 21, 2014
A new species of praying mantis has been discovered in Rwanda's Nyungwe National Park. It is the bush tiger mantis (Dystacta tigrifrutex). The name was inspired by the wingless female (pictured above) which are adapted for catching prey close to the ground and in the undergrowth. The researchers say the species has similarities in hunting practices with tigers. A male bush tiger mantis is pictured below.
Rley Tedrow, who is studying evolutionary biology at Case Western Reserve University, says in the announcement, "We knew this mantis was special after completing nearly eight months of work to identify all the specimens found during the three week expedition. The new species is amazing because the fairly small female prowls through the underbrush searching for prey while the male flies and appears to live higher in the vegetation."
Dr. Gavin Svenson, curator of invertebrate zoology at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History and adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve University, says, "The new praying mantis species was found in the high altitude rain forest region of southwestern Rwanda and probably only lives within Nyungwe National Park, which adds significant justification for protecting the park to ensure species like this can continue to exist."
The researchers plan to return to Nyungwe next month to study more mantises and hope to return with more new species. They also plan to determine if the bush mantises habitat is limited or more broadley spread. A research paper on the new species was published here in ZooKeys.