Tenodera

Burmeister, 1838

Chinese mantis (for T. sinensis), narrow-winged mantis (for T. angustipennis), purple-winged mantis (for T. australasiae)

Species Guides

2

Tenodera is a of praying mantises in the Mantidae, containing approximately 16 recognized distributed across Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America. Several species, particularly T. sinensis (Chinese mantis), have been introduced outside their native ranges. Members of this genus are characterized by an spine on the mid and hind , a diagnostic morphological feature. The genus has been extensively studied for predatory , sexual , and male genitalia evolution.

Tenodera by no rights reserved, uploaded by Damo O. Used under a CC0 license.Tenodera angustipennis by no rights reserved. Used under a CC0 license.Tenodera angustipennis by (c) Benjamin Burgunder, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Benjamin Burgunder. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Tenodera: //tɛˈnɒdərə//

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Identification

Mantids in this can be identified by the presence of an spine on the mid and hind . Male genitalia show distinct structural forms that can be used to distinguish between . T. sinensis is one of the largest species in North America, reaching lengths of 8-10 cm.

Images

Habitat

utilize equivalent across their distribution ranges. In North America, T. sinensis occupies gardens, meadows, and landscapes with vegetation such as bushes, tomato vines, and meadow plants. are deposited on upright vegetation including twigs of trees and stems of meadow plants.

Distribution

Native to Africa, Asia, and Australia. T. sinensis introduced to North America, first recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1897, now established in eastern United States and parts of the Pacific Northwest. T. angustipennis and T. australasiae also have established ranges outside native distributions.

Seasonality

observed in September in mid-Atlantic region. Overwinter as in . Hatch in spring with return of warm weather and small insect prey availability.

Diet

Predatory; feeds on insects and other arthropods. T. sinensis has been observed consuming brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys), spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula), nymphs, and occasionally small vertebrates including hummingbirds. T. aridifolia sinensis and Sphodromantis lineola have shown facultative omnivory, consuming diced banana when presented.

Life Cycle

Overwinter as within containing 100+ embryos. Females deposit one or more oothecae in autumn on upright vegetation. Nymphs hatch in spring and disperse to search for prey. Development proceeds through multiple nymphal instars to adulthood.

Behavior

Sit-and-wait that shifts to active pursuit when starved. Hunting sequence includes prey monitoring, turns to track prey, translations to close distance, and strike attempts. Under starvation, exhibits stereotyped prey-focused ; with satiety, behavior becomes more variable and flexible. Sexual documented. Males of T. aridifolia approach females more quickly under windy conditions to reduce detection risk. Defense behavior triggered by looming stimuli involves retraction of forelegs under prothorax.

Ecological Role

of insects and other arthropods. Multiple paternity demonstrated in wild . May contribute to of pest including brown marmorated stink bug and spotted lanternfly.

Human Relevance

T. sinensis introduced to North America for potential of agricultural pests, though effectiveness against was limited. () occasionally introduced inadvertently on nursery stock and Christmas trees, leading to indoor hatching events. Popular in research and education due to large size and readily observable .

Similar Taxa

  • Mantis religiosaEuropean mantis also introduced to North America; distinguished by black and white bullseye marking on inside of foreleg near body joint, which Tenodera lacks
  • Stagmomantis carolinaNative North American mantis; smaller (typically grey or brown), lacks spine on mid and hind characteristic of Tenodera

More Details

Genomic resources

Draft assembly of T. sinensis produced using PacBio HiFi reads; assembly size 3.03 Gb with N50 of 1.8 Mb and 98.7% BUSCO completeness. Genome contains multiple classes of nociceptive ion channels, suggesting mantids possess nociceptive capabilities.

Phylogenetic relationships

Molecular and morphological analyses support monophyly of included Tenodera . T. sinensis and T. bokiana recovered as distinct species in separate clades. Previously undescribed species from India identified as sister to T. aridifolia and T. sinensis. Male genitalia show rapid evolution potentially linked to sexual .

Behavioral plasticity

Insulin signaling implicated as metabolic indicator of internal state; insulin injection sufficient to shift from active pursuit to sit-and-wait ambush. Visual cues (shiny reflective surfaces) elicit drinking behavior; olfaction and contact chemoreception involved in food identification.

Sources and further reading