The fascinating world of mantises in Costa Rica.
- Bryan Ramírez Castro
- Aug 22
- 4 min read
Introduction
Costa Rica, renowned for its incredible biodiversity, serves as a perfect habitat for various mantis species. These fascinating insects, often called praying mantises due to their distinctive posture, are predatory insects known for their exceptional camouflage, hunting skills, and unique behaviors. This blog post delves into the families and species of mantises present in Costa Rica, offering a comprehensive guide for enthusiasts and researchers alike.
Mantis biology and ecology:
Mantises belong to the order Mantodea, which comprises over 2,400 species worldwide. In Costa Rica, the lush rainforests, cloud forests, and diverse ecosystems provide ideal conditions for mantises to thrive. They are typically found in vegetation-rich environments where they can camouflage effectively and ambush prey.
Physical Characteristics: Mantises have triangular heads with large compound eyes, elongated bodies, and raptorial forelegs adapted for catching prey.
Habitat: They inhabit gardens, forests, and grasslands, often blending seamlessly with leaves, branches, or flowers.
Diet: As predators, they feed on insects, spiders, and even small vertebrates.
Major Mantis Families in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is home to several mantis families, each with unique traits. Below are some of the most prominent families and their key features:
A. Mantidae
Description: This is one of the largest families, including many commonly recognized mantises.
Species Example: Choeradodis rhombicollis (Shield Mantis)
Identification: Known for its leaf-like expansion of the thorax, providing excellent camouflage.
Habitat: Found in tropical forests, often on foliage
B. Thespidae
Description: This family includes mantises with slender bodies and intricate patterns.
Species Example: Angela species
Identification: Resembles a stick or twig, making it nearly invisible in its environment.
Habitat: Prefers forested areas where it can mimic branches.
C. Liturgusidae
Description: Known for their bark-like appearance and ground-dwelling behavior.
Species Example: Liturgusa species
Identification: Flattened bodies adapted to cling to tree trunks.
Behavior: Active hunters that rarely rely on ambush tactics.
The "punch" of the praying mantis: ultra-fast raptorial strikes
Their praying pose is actually a loaded spring. The speed of their attack is one of the fastest movements in the animal kingdom.
The finding: Mantises strike their prey with an acceleration so fast it's nearly invisible to the human eye.
The science: Research using high-speed video reveals that the mantis strike involves a complex mechanism of co-contraction and latched springs in their forelimbs. They slowly contract their muscles to store energy in a saddle-shaped structure called the pronotum, which then releases like a catapult. The entire strike can take less than 100 milliseconds.
Neurotoxin venom: A recent and revolutionary "discovery"
For centuries, it was believed mantises simply held and ate their prey alive. New science shows their attack is far more sophisticated.
The Finding: Mantises inject a potent neurotoxin to subdue their prey rapidly.
The Science: A 2024 study presented at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology conference found that mantises possess venom glands in their forelimbs. The toxin functions as a synaptic inhibitor, essentially shutting down the neural pathways in the prey's brain and causing rapid paralysis. This is a groundbreaking discovery that reclassifies them as venomous predators.
3D Vision:
Mantises don't just see in two dimensions; they perceive depth like we do.
The Finding: The praying mantis is the only insect known to possess stereopsis or 3D vision.
The Science: Neuroscientists have conducted experiments where mantises wear tiny 3D glasses. The research shows they use stereovision not for navigating their environment, but specifically for gauging the distance to their prey before launching a precise strike. Their brain processes depth in a much simpler way than humans, making it a model for studying vision and for developing energy-efficient depth perception in robots.
Ultrasonic Hearing to Avoid Bats
The Fact: A mantis's ear is a single, cybernetic organ located in a groove on its thorax (its chest), not its head. It's specially tuned to hear the ultrasonic echolocation calls of bats.
The Implication: When a bat targets a mantis in mid-flight, the mantis can detect this and execute an evasive dive, a dramatic aerial battle between two powerful predators. This shows an advanced evolutionary arms race.
Debunking Myths: the truth about mantis behavior
Myth 1: "The Female Always Eats the Male After Mating"
Reality: While sexual cannibalism occurs in some species (e.g., Mantis religiosa), it is not universal. In Costa Rican species like Stagmatoptera hyaloptera, cannibalism is rare and depends on factors like:
Hunger level: Well-fed females are less likely to attack males.
Environmental stress: Limited resources may increase aggression.
Species-specific traits: Some males have escape strategies (e.g., quick dismount).
Scientific Backup: A study in Scientific Reports (2017) found that cannibalism occurs in <30% of mantis mating events in tropical species, and males often survive to mate again.
Myth 2: "Mantises Are Dangerous to Humans"
Reality: Mantises are not venomous and pose no threat to humans. Their bites are rare and harmless, often compared to a mild pinprick.
Dynamic camouflage: changing color post-molt
The Fact: Some mantis species can change their color after molting to better match their environment. This is not instantaneous like a chameleon but is a direct response to environmental factors like humidity and light exposure12.
The Implication: This adds a layer of adaptability to their world-class camouflage. A mantis in a dry, brown environment will molt into a browner form, while one in a lush, green area will become greener.
Species list: Observations Mantodea · Naturalista Costa Rica
References:
Rivera, J., & Svenson, G. J. (2024, January). Venom in the Praying Mantis: Unveiling a Novel Toxin Delivery System in Mantodea. Presentation at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, USA.
Nityananda, V., Tarawneh, G., Rosner, R., Nicolas, J., Crichton, S., & Read, J. (2016). Insect stereopsis demonstrated using a 3D insect cinema. Scientific Reports, 6, 18718
Yager, D. D., & Hoy, R. R. (1986). The Cyclopean Ear: A New Sense for the Praying Mantis. Science, 231(4744), 727-729.
Edmunds, M. (1972). Defensive behaviour in Ghanaian praying mantises. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 51(1), 1-32
Comments