Yersiniops
Hebard, 1931
Grasshopper Mantises
Yersiniops is a of ground-dwelling to the Americas, distinguished by their hunting strategy of actively running down rather than ambushing from vegetation. The genus is characterized by pointed, 'horned' and predominantly gray coloration. Two , Y. solitarius and Y. sophronicus, occur in the United States, where they inhabit arid western regions. These small mantids represent one of two ground mantid genera in North America, alongside Litaneutria.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Yersiniops: /jɛrˈsɪniˌɒps/
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Identification
The tops of the are pointed, giving a 'horned' appearance when viewed -on. Coloration tends toward gray rather than . Distinguished from the related Litaneutria, which has rounded eyes and brown coloration. Both genera are small, cryptically colored ground , but Yersiniops is noted as particularly photogenic when viewed from the due to its eye structure.
Images
Habitat
Desert and grassland across the western United States. Occurs in arid and semi-arid environments with sparse vegetation, consistent with the hunting strategy that evolved in response to open, dry habitats with limited non-.
Distribution
to the Americas. Two occur in the United States: Y. solitarius and Y. sophronicus. The as a whole has a broader distribution in the Americas beyond these two U.S. species.
Behavior
that runs down rather than employing the ambush strategy typical of most . This ground-running represents an evolutionary shift from the mantid strategy of waiting on tree trunks and running after spotted prey. The cursorial strategy has evolved independently at least three times within mantids, always associated with dry, open .
Similar Taxa
- LitaneutriaBoth are ground in the tribe Litaneutriini, but Litaneutria has rounded and coloration versus the pointed, 'horned' eyes and gray coloration of Yersiniops. Both employ hunting in western U.S. desert and grassland .