Creobroter is a genus of flower mantises in the tribe Hymenopodini; species are concentrated in Asia. The generic name comes from the Greek kreo-, meaning "flesh") and broter, meaning "eating", so "flesh-eating", an apt name for a predatory insect. Both sexes have long wings and are capable fliers. Full-grown males are about 3 to 4 cm in length; females are about 4 to 5 cm.
Camouflage and mimicry
As the common name indicates, Creobroter species are known for having varicolored (yellow, white, red, brown, etc.) markings, which serve as camouflage by hiding the creatures' actual shapes and making them look somewhat like flowers when hiding in green foliage.
The resemblance to flowers may be greater in subadults of Creobroter than adults. This flower mimicry is only partial, but is attractive enough to make Creobroter species favored as pets, especially as they are more common and less delicate than the more flower-like Hymenopus.
In some species (such as C. gemmatus), these markings also serve as eyespots when the mantis spreads its wings in a deimatic display.This Thembugs.com: image.
Rather than resembling foliage or flowers, some species of Creobroter resemble ants during their early nymphal stages. Ant mimicry is a useful defense against predation for the young, as most ants are relatively unpalatable and aggressive, making insect predators that rely on vision to identify their prey, such as birds and wasps, avoid them.
Around their third ecdysis, Creobroter species trade their ant-mimicking, dark, shiny appearance for the green and light-colored markings that make their outline difficult to discern in vegetation.
Species No consistency is seen for the use of English common names for these species. For example, at least two Creobroter species found in India have been called "Indian flower mantis". Conversely, a Creobroter species collected in Thailand might be displayed in a collection as a "Thai flower mantis", while the same species collected elsewhere might be called a "Malaysian flower mantis". The following species of Creobroter are described (subject to review):[mantodea.speciesfile.org/Common/basic/Taxa.aspx?TaxonNameID=1182691 Mantodea Species File: Creobroter] Creobroter apicalis Saussure, 1869 (synonym Creobroter elongatus (Beier, 1929)) Creobroter celebensis Werner, 1931 Creobroter discifera Serville, 1839 - type species Creobroter episcopalis Stal, 1877 Creobroter fasciatus Werner, 1927 Creobroter fuscoareatus Saussure, 1870 Creobroter gemmatus Saussure, 1869 Creobroter granulicollis Saussure, 1870 Creobroter insolitus Beier, 1942 Creobroter jiangxiensis Zheng, 1988 Creobroter labuanae Hebard, 1920 Creobroter laevicollis Saussure, 1870 Creobroter medanus Giglio-Tos, 1915 Creobroter meleagris Stal, 1877 Creobroter nebulosa Zheng, 1988 Creobroter pictipennis Wood-Mason, 1878 Creobroter signifer Walker, 1859 Creobroter sumatranus de Haan, 1842 Creobroter urbanus Fabricius, 1775 Creobroter vitripennis Beier, 1933
See also List of mantis genera and species
References
Further reading For a technical discussion of an aspect of this genus' anatomy, refer to The cervical sclerites of Mantodea discussed in the context of dictypoteran phylogency by Frank Wieland, Entomologische Abhandlungen 63, Museum fur Dresden, 2006
External links MantisOnline.eu: Creobroter Invertopia