Dictyoptera
Guides
Mantidae
mantids, mantid mantises
Mantidae is the largest family in the order Mantodea, historically encompassing all mantises before modern classifications split the group into multiple families. Most genera are tropical or subtropical in distribution. The family contains ten recognized subfamilies including Choeradodinae, Hierodulinae, Mantinae, and Stagmomantinae. The term "mantid" technically refers only to members of this family, though it is commonly used more broadly for any mantis.
Mantodea
mantises, mantids, praying mantises
Mantodea is an order of predatory insects comprising over 2,400 species in approximately 430 genera and 15 families, with Mantidae being the largest family. Members are characterized by raptorial forelegs adapted for catching prey, triangular heads with large compound eyes on flexible necks, and elongated bodies. The order exhibits two primary foraging strategies: ambush predation (the ancestral condition) and cursorial pursuit of prey. Mantodea has undergone significant taxonomic revision, having been elevated from a suborder of Orthoptera to full order status, then subsequently grouped with cockroaches and termites within Dictyoptera based on molecular phylogenetic evidence.