Mantoididae

Definition

A family of Neotropical mantises (order Mantodea) distinguished from the related Chaeteessidae by an apical claw on the fore tibiae, which are also less curved; males possess ocelli and a cylindrical rather than dorsoventrally flattened body, and have shorter cerci. The family currently comprises three genera: Mantoida, Paramantoida (described 2014), and Vespamantoida (described 2019).

Etymology

Example

Mantoida maya, a species in Mantoididae, is a small, fast-running mantis of Central American leaf litter, where its reduced foreleg curvature and cylindrical body distinguish it from the flatter, more gracile Chaeteessa species with which it shares habitats.

Related Terms

• Mantodea
• Chaeteessidae
• Mantoida
• Paramantoida
• Vespamantoida
• Neotropical
• fore tibia
• ocelli
• cercus

Usage Notes

Formerly monotypic (containing only Mantoida) until expanded by two additional genera in 2014 and 2019. The apical claw on the fore tibia is a key diagnostic character separating Mantoididae from Chaeteessidae, though both families are small-bodied, ground-dwelling mantises often collected together in tropical litter samples.