Hierodula

Hierodula
unidentified Hierodula species
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Mantodea
Family: Mantidae
Tribe: Hierodulini
Genus: Hierodula
Burmeister, 1838
Species

see text

Synonyms
  • Ephierodula Giglio-Tos, 1912
  • Parhierodula Giglio-Tos, 1912
  • Rhomboderula Giglio-Tos, 1912

Hierodula[1] is a genus of praying mantises in the tribe Hierodulini, found throughout Asia. Many species are referred to by the common name giant Asian mantis because of their large size compared to other mantises. Their large size and vibrant coloration make Hierodula mantises popular in the pet trade. Some widespread species include H. membranacea and H. patellifera.[2]

The traditional conception of the genus is now considered a 'catch all' and is currently subject to review and taxonomic revision; three species were moved to the new genus Titanodula in 2020,[3] and a 2022 genetic and morphological study suggested that most of the species in Hierodula should be moved to other genera in the tribe Hierodulini, such as: Rhombodera (for the Hierodula chinensis clade), Tamolanica (for the Hierodula majuscula clade) and Rhombomantis (for the Hierodula patellifera clade); as well as potentially new genera.[4] This is because the type species of Hierodula is Hierodula membranacea,[citation needed] so only the species closest to it should be considered “true” Hierodula.

Species

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H. vitrea in the Saint Petersburg Zoological Museum
Hierodula trancaucasica

See also

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Picture

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References

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  1. ^ Burmeister KHK (1838) Handb. Ent., Burm. 2: 536.
  2. ^ [1] Mantis (Hierodula patellifera) Family Mantidae.
  3. ^ Xavier H.C. Vermeersch. 2020. Titanodula gen. nov., A New Genus of Giant Oriental Praying Mantises (Mantodea: Mantidae: Hierodulinae). Belgian Journal of Entomology. 100: 1–18.
  4. ^ Qin-Peng Liu, Le Liang, Xin-Yang Zhang, Hao-Kun Li, Chu-Xiang Zhao and Xing-Yue Liu. 2022. Mitochondrial Phylogenomics Suggests Complex Evolutionary Pattern of Pronotal Foliaceous Mimicry in Hierodulinae (Mantodea: Mantidae), with Description of a New Species of Rhombodera Burmeister, 1838 from China. Insects. 13(715):17.
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  • Pictures on Up Close with Nature blog
  • Media related to Hierodula at Wikimedia Commons