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Mantises of Zihuatanejo

INFRAORDER SCHIZOMANTODEA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Mantises (Order Mantodea)

-Suborder Eumantodea

-Infraorder Schizomantodea

-Superfamily Acanthopoidea

-Acanthopid Mantises (Family Acanthopidae)

-Stenophyllid Mantises (Subfamily Stenophyllinae)

-Acontistid Mantises (Tribe Acontistini)

-Subtribe Acontistina

-Genus Acontista


Acontista is a genus of small, praying mantises in the family Acanthopidae, primarily native to the tropical regions of Central and South America. These mantises are known for their striking sexual dimorphism and effective camouflage; while males are typically slender with long, functional wings for flight, females are often more robust with shorter wings that may not cover their entire abdomen. Like other mantises, Acontista are sit-and-wait predators that use their specialized, spiny raptorial forelegs to snatch small insects with incredible speed. Because of their small size and varied coloration—ranging from leafy greens to bark-like browns—they are exceptionally well-suited for life among the foliage and flowers of the Neotropical rainforest canopy.

Description

  • Acontista is a genus of small, slender praying mantises in the family Acanthopidae. They have elongated bodies, a relatively narrow head with prominent eyes, long walking legs, and strongly raptorial forelegs adapted for catching prey. Species are often brown, grey, green, or mottled, providing camouflage among leaves and bark.

Range

  • Acontista is primarily Neotropical, occurring from Mexico and Central America through northern and tropical South America, with several species distributed in Mexico. Suitable habitats in western and southern Mexico include the Pacific coastal region and Guerrero, and species of the genus may be encountered around Zihuatanejo.

Habitat

  • These mantises inhabit tropical and subtropical forest, seasonally dry woodland, scrub, forest edges, clearings, and gardens. They are generally associated with vegetation and may rest motionless on leaves, stems, twigs, and tree trunks, where their subdued colouring makes them difficult to detect.

Diet

  • Acontista species are predatory and feed primarily on small insects and other arthropods. Their prey may include flies, moths, beetles, grasshoppers, true bugs, and spiders, which they seize with their powerful spined forelegs.

Acontista Mantises

Acontista (Genus)

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