Dead Leaf Mantis Nymph by melvynyeo on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Published: Sep 20, 2011

Description

This species of praying mantis is always brown, but the shade of brown may vary between individuals. Their brown color is not solid all over, but it has dark and light spots to mimic a dead leaf. On their back they have a huge shield (prothorax), making it look even more like a dead leaf. This feature can be seen almost all species in the Deroplatys genus.
Deroplatys desiccata is a pretty docile species of praying mantis. They can be easily ‘scared’ by large prey or the hand of their owner, making them run away franticly or display a death feigning behavior (play dead). During this display the mantis will lie motionless on the floor, legs folded or stretched out. They do not move even when you touch them. Sometimes they suddenly get up and start running away. When adult, Deroplatys desiccata can also display its wings when threatened. This is called a deimatic display, designed to scare off predators. The mantis shows its front wings that have a large black spot on them, and it shows the hind wings that have black and white stripes on them. When the wings are raised suddenly, these colors become visible and can scare away predators such as birds. During the deimatic display the mantis will also raise its forelegs to show a red area with bright black and white stripes (zebra pattern).

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