30 of the Most Absurd-Looking Mantis Species
3 Ghost Mantis
This ghost mantis is characterized by its incredible camouflage, giving the appearance of dead dried up leaves.
David Cayless / Getty Images
The ghost mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa) is an African mantis species remarkable for its leaflike body. It even has pigment variations that resemble the veins of a leaf, perfecting its disguise against birds and other would-be predators. The mantis can change its color after a few molts if it moves from, say, a brown environment to a green one, and vice versa.4
It's considered a miniature species, rarely growing more than two inches long. It's another popular pet species, especially because lack of aggression toward its own species means they can coexist in captivity. (Other mantises quickly turn to cannibalism.)
This ghost mantis is characterized by its incredible camouflage, giving the appearance of dead dried up leaves.
David Cayless / Getty Images
The ghost mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa) is an African mantis species remarkable for its leaflike body. It even has pigment variations that resemble the veins of a leaf, perfecting its disguise against birds and other would-be predators. The mantis can change its color after a few molts if it moves from, say, a brown environment to a green one, and vice versa.4
It's considered a miniature species, rarely growing more than two inches long. It's another popular pet species, especially because lack of aggression toward its own species means they can coexist in captivity. (Other mantises quickly turn to cannibalism.)
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27 December 2023
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