Mathison Museum of Natural History

[bmathison1972]

Species: Rungwecebus kipunji (Jones et al., 2005)
Common name(s): kipunji; highland mangabey

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yowie Group
Series: Wildlife Conservation Series
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding tail) approximately 3.8 cm for a scale of 1:22-1:24
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: I could see myself replacing this figure some day if made in the 'standard' sized range. That being said, it scale at 1:24 which is a very popular scale for collectors. The scale above is calculated based on a head-and-body length (exclusive of tail) of 85-90 cm. At first I thought that sounded too big but I was able to track down the species' original description and sure enough, that is the body length minus the tail.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Tanzania
Habitat: Montane and submontane rainforest; arboreal
Diet: Leaves, shoots, flowers, bark, fruit, lichen, moss, invertebrates, farm crops
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Endangered
Miscellaneous Notes: Rungwecebus kipunji is only known from two locations in Tanzania, the Rungwe-Livingstone Forest in the Southern Highlands and the Ndundulu Forest Reserve of southwest Tanzania. It is the most recently discovered extant primate species; it was only discovered in 2003 and 2004 by two independent research groups and formally described in 2005. It was initially described as a member of the genus Lophocebus (crested mangabeys), but later both molecular and morphologic studies showed it is more closely related to baboons (Papio), and in 2006 the genus Rungwecebus was described to accommodate it.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Dardanus pedunculatus (Herbst, 1804)
Common name(s): anemone hermit crab

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Primary Colour Crustaceans Book
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Scale difficult to calculate as important features are concealed by the shell, but the carapace length is approximately 1.0 cm for a scale of 1:2.5
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Some assembly is required. When the Primary Colour line was acquired by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. and this set was reissued, this species was not included.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Indo-Pacific
Habitat: coral reefs, intertidal zones; at depths of 1-27 meters
Diet: Algae, cyanobacteria
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Dardanus pedunculatus is probably best known for carrying around anemones on its shell. The stinging anemones are used as protection against would-be predators, most notably octopi. The hermit crab acquires an anemone by gently stroking and tapping the anemone until it loosens its grip on its substrate, after which it is transferred to the hermit crab's shell.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Myocastor coypus (Molina, 1782)
Common name(s): coypu; nutria

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Chocoegg Animatales Series 3
Year of Production: 2000
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding tail) approximately 4.5 cm for a scale of 1:8.9-1:13.3
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Being one of the original Chocoegg figures, assembly is required.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Southern South America; introduced to other parts of South America, much of Europe, North America, and Japan
Habitat: Freshwater marshes, lakes, sluggish rivers
Diet: Aquatic vegetation, including Typha (cattail), Sagittaria (arrowheads), Cyperus (flatsedges), Spartina (cordgrasses), and a variety of other rushes and reeds
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Myocastor coypus is considered an invasive species outside of its native range. Introductions to other countries were for the purpose of the fur trade. Many of these farms were not successful in the long run, and nutria either escaped or were intentionally released when operations became unprofitable.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Scolopendra japonica Koch, 1878
Common name(s): Japanese giant centipede

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Capsule Q Museum - Toxic and Dangerous Animals
Year of Production: 2014
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 9.7 cm for a scale of 1:1.3
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique (as a pair)
Miscellaneous Notes: Unlike most other Kaiyodo figures, these centipedes are made of a softer, almost rubbery, material. The two figures were marketed as S. subspinipes; however, in 2012, two years before the figures were released, the subspecies S. s. japonica was elevated to the species level. The color of these two figures match the two color morphotypes of S. japonica in the review by Siriwurt et al. (below) and the paper that accompanies the figures specifically references Japanese populations. As such, for my collection, I have decided to database these as S. japonica.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: East and Southeast Asia, Japan
Habitat: Temperate and subtropical woodlands; usually on the ground under rocks and logs, or in crevices, burrows, and leaf litter
Diet: Primarily arachnids and insects; occasionally small rodents and small reptiles
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Scolopendra japonica was first described as a valid species in 1878. In 1903, it was reclassified as a subspecies of S. subspinipes. In 2003, it was suggested that it should possibly be a subspecies of S. multidens. In 2012 it was elevated back to species level based on morphologic analysis, a move that was supported by Siriwut et al. in 2016 (below) based on morphologic and molecular analyses.

Ref: Siriwut W, Edgecombe GD, Sutcharit C, Tongkerd P, Panha S. A taxonomic review of the centipede genus Scolopendra Linnaeus, 1758 (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae) in mainland Southeast Asia, with description of a new species from Laos. Zookeys. 2016;590:1-124.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Equus quagga boehmi Matschie, 1892
Common name(s): Grant's zebra

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: CollectA
Series: Wildlife
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Height at shoulders approximately 6.7 cm for a scale of 1:18-1:21
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very common
Miscellaneous Notes: CollectA only marketed this figure as a 'common zebra' and the subspecies designation is my own based on striping pattern and its familiarity.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: East-Central Africa (Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem)
Habitat: Open savanna woodland, grassland
Diet: Primarily grasses; occasionally leaves, bark, shrubs
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened (as a species)
Miscellaneous Notes: While generally assumed to be white with black stripes, embryonic studies have shown that the 'base' color of zebras is dark with white striping. Striping patterns, like human fingerprints, are unique to an individual and heritable. Occasionally, individuals of E. quagga express abnormalities in their striping patterns. For example, melanistic zebras have reduced white on the torso, although the legs are whiter. There are also spotted individuals and in rare cases albino zebras. Some striping abnormalities have been linked to inbreeding.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Giganotosaurus carolinii Coria & Salgado, 1995

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2017
Size/Scale: Raw figure length is approximately 37.0 cm. Using skull as a metric (n=5.5 cm), scale comes to approximately 1:27-1:32. Using femur as a metric (n=6.0 cm), scale comes to approximately 1:23-1:24 (see below).
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon (becoming more common)
Miscellaneous Notes: Carcharodontosaurids have been gaining momentum lately is the toy animal world (especially thanks to PNSO), Giganotosaurus included, with very nice recent renditions by Eofauna (2019) and PNSO (2023). Most of the time, however, I still favor Safari Ltd. when it comes to large bipedal theropods and I am not at all bothered by theropods on bases. The scales above are calculated based on estimates for the holotype specimen (MUCPv-Ch1). I find the skull easier to estimate a length for than the femur. Because the figure is essentially stretched out, using the estimated body length for the holotype (n=12-13 meters), the scale comes to approximately 1:32-1:35. Overall, the figure could probably be safely estimated at a scale of 1:32.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of present-day South America
Habitat: Open woodlands and adjacent riparian areas
Diet: Apex predator of reptiles and other dinosaurs
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Carcharodontosaurids have relatively conserved morphology as a group. A 2016 cladistic analysis places Giganotosaurus as a sister taxon to Mapusaurus, and together with Tyrannotitan form a clade (Giganotosaurini) that is the sister group to Carcharodontosaurus. Meraxes was described in 2022 and also believed to be in Giganotosaurini.




P.S. I got a new phone a couple days ago and I think I am already noticing a difference in quality of my pics. My pics were historically yellowed, and I thought it was from the lighting in my apartment, so I always adjusted the color balance in Photoshop before posting. But I haven't had to make any color adjustments the last couple days and things look sharper, which makes me wonder if it was the camera and not the lighting (?). For those who follow this thread daily on ATF or STS I am curious if you start to notice a difference (?).

[bmathison1972]

Species: Trichonephila clavipes (Linnaeus, 1767)
Common name(s): golden silk orb weaver; golden silk spider

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Wicked Cool Toys
Series: Wild Kraatz Creature Power Pack - Crawlers Set
Year of Production: 2015
Size/Scale: Legspan approximately 8.5 cm. Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 3.2 cm, within scale 1:1 for a female specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This figure was only marketed as an orb-weaving spider and the identification is my own, despite the toy being quite stylized.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Southern and southeastern United States to Argentina
Habitat: Forests, woodlands, parks, gardens; webs are usually constructed in forest clearings, alongside and across trails, and across watercourses
Diet: Small flying insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Females of T. clavipes possess seven types of silk glands, each producing its own type of silk for a specific function. Major ampullate silk shows high tensile strength and is used in parts of the web that require stability, such as draglines, bridgelines, and the radii of webs. Minor ampullate silk is used as scaffolding during the web-building process, while piriform silk is used like a cement, bonding fibers to each other and other structures. Aciniform silk used for wrapping prey and insulating egg cases while tubuliform silk forms the tough outer shell of egg cases. Flagelliform and aggregate silks are sticky and used to capture prey.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Vagaceratops irvinensis (Holmes et al., 2001)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Safari Ltd.
Series: Wild Safari Prehistoric World
Year of Production: 2012
Size/Scale: Raw figure length approximately 15.5 cm. Using width of frill as a metric (n=3.8 cm), scale comes to 1:27-1:28 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The scale above is calculated based on metrics from the holotype (NMC 41357) and a second specimen (TMP 87.45.1) from the original description.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of present-day Canada
Habitat: Open woodlands and surrounding riparian areas
Diet: Plants
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Vagaceratops irvinensis was initially described in the genus Chasmosaurus in 2001. In 2010, the genus Vagaceratops was described based on the following autoapomorphies: jugal notch on proximal squamosal broadly rounded and open; transverse parietal bar straight; epiparietals and epiparietosquamosal short, forming recurved flat laminae; and predentary length one half that of dentary. The same paper also described the new genus Kosmoceratops and a phylogenetic analysis placed Vagaceratops and Kosmoceratops as sister taxa and not close to Chasmosaurus. In 2015 another cladistic analysis also supported Vagaceratops and Kosmoceratops as sister taxa and basal within Chasmosaurinae.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Heloderma suspectum Cope, 1869
Common name(s): Gila monster

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Yujin
Series: Primary Colour Lizards Book
Year of Production: 2002
Size/Scale: Snout-to-vent length (SVL) approximately 6.5 cm for a scale of 1:3.5-1:5.2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Uncommon
Miscellaneous Notes: This sculpt was originally used by Play Visions in 1998 for their Exotic Lizards collection. Several of the sculpts in Yujin's Primary Colour Lizards Book were previously used by Play Visions and probably produced by Wing Mau.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Southwestern USA, northwestern Mexico (Sonora)
Habitat: Oak woodland, scrubland, Sonoran and Mojave deserts
Diet: Small mammals, small birds and bird eggs, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Near Threatened
Miscellaneous Notes: Heloderma suspectum is one of the few venomous lizards, or at least venomous to humans. Several peptides and other chemicals have been isolated from the venom of the Gila monster, including hyaluronidase, serotonin, phospholipase A2, and several kallikrein-like glycoproteins. The bite is rarely fatal for a human but a few potentially lethal toxins have been isolated from the lizard's venom, such as bioactive peptides which bind to vasoactive intestinal peptides (VIPs) in humans and helothermine, which has caused lethargy, partial limb paralysis, and hypothermia experimentally in rats. Symptoms of a Gila monster bite include pain, edema, hypotension, nausea, vomiting, weakness, and diaphoresis. No antivenin is commercially available. Treatment is supportive, and although first aid measures such as suction or compression may impede venom movement, they are unproven.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Pentecopterus decorahensis Lamsdell et al., 2015

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Paleo-Creatures
Series: N/A
Year of Production: 2016
Size/Scale: Body length (excluding appendages) approximately 7.2 cm for a scale of 1:10.4-1:13.8, or a possible maximum scale of 1:23.6 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: This model was made by forum member Jetoar. The eurypterid is removable from its base. The scale range of 1:10.4-1:13.8 above is based on an estimated body length of 75-100 cm based on limb specimens while the maximum scale of 1:23.6 is based on a possible maximum body length of 170 cm based on large tergite specimens.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) of present-day North America
Habitat: Shallow marine or brackish waters
Diet: Predaceous on soft-bodied animals
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: The shale where P. decorahensis fossils were discovered contained few other marine animals. Researches have speculated that the habitat the eurypterid lived in might have been shallow, brackish water near shore that was low in oxygen and inhospitable to other marine taxa.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Euderma maculatum (Allen, 1891)
Common name(s): spotted bat

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Play Visions
Series: Bats
Year of Production: 1996
Size/Scale: Wingspan 8.1 cm. Body length approximately 3.0 cm for a scale of 1:4
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: The 1996 Play Visions Bats collection features 6 species of bats, 4-6 of which are unique as toys and figures, depending on the species assigned to a couple of them. Four that are most certainly unique include the wrinkle-nosed bat, California leaf-nosed bat, Egyptian fruit bat, and today's spotted bat. There is also a horseshoe bat and vampire bat, both of which could represent more than one species.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Western North America
Habitat: Ponderosa pine forest, marshland, deserts, shrub-steppe, cliffs, agricultural land
Diet: Flying insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Euderma maculatum uses echolocation at very low frequencies (9-12 kHz). As such, it tends to specialize on larger insect prey, such as large moths and grasshoppers.

[Sim]

Recalling that you replaced the Bullyland great grey owl in part due to its feet...  I noticed that the Science & Nature sulphur-crested cockatoo is missing a back toe on each foot.  Will you replace yours with Safari's, which has accurate feet?

[bmathison1972]

Recalling that you replaced the Bullyland great grey owl in part due to its feet...  I noticed that the Science & Nature sulphur-crested cockatoo is missing a back toe on each foot.  Will you replace yours with Safari's, which has accurate feet?

Not sure but I am considering it; I prefer a figure that doesn't have its wings spread, however.

[EpicRaptorMan]

Recalling that you replaced the Bullyland great grey owl in part due to its feet...  I noticed that the Science & Nature sulphur-crested cockatoo is missing a back toe on each foot.  Will you replace yours with Safari's, which has accurate feet?

Owls are actually semi-zygodactyl so either a true zygodactyl or anisodactyl foot orientation would work.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Lucanus gamunus Sawada & Watanabe, 1960

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Kaiyodo
Series: Choco Q Animatales Series 6; Choco Q Animatales Be-Pal Special Edition
Years of Production: 2002; 2003
Size/Scale: Body length (including mandibles) approximately 4.5 cm for a scale of 2:1-1.5.1 (see below)
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: The figure on the bottom/middle is from the 2002 Choco Q Animatales Series 6 collection. The other two figures are from the Be-Pal Special Edition collection which came out the following year. Figures in the Be-Pal collection represent repaints of the figures from the Choco Q Series 6 collection. Apparently, the figure with the bright yellow elytra was based on a specimen that was collected by the sculptor of the figure (Shinobu Matsumura) and this unusual morphotype reportedly 'shocked the stag beetle world'. Being original Choco Q figures, assembly is required. I had a difficult time finding information on the body length of the species and the scale above was calculated based on a body length of 2.3-3.0 cm which is based on specimens for purchase online. Looking at other photos online, I wouldn't be surprised if the figures were closer to 1:1 for a larger specimen. Other than these three figures, which all represent the same sculpt, the only other figure of this species I am aware of was produced by Sega.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Japan (Izu Islands)
Habitat: Broadleaf forests
Diet: Presumably, larvae feed in rotting wood and detritus while adults feed on tree sap
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: I had a hard time finding any information on the size, biology, and distribution of this species. It appears to be endemic to the Izu Islands, including but probably not limited to, Mikura-jima and Kōzu-shima.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Etmopterus granulosus (Günther, 1880)
Common name(s): southern lanternshark

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Discovery Communications
Series: Return to the Isle of Jaws
Year of Production: 2018
Size/Scale: Body length approximately 6.5 cm for a scale of 1:9.2-1:13.2
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare to unique depending on species assigned (see below)
Miscellaneous Notes: Discovery didn't identify this figure at the species level, and with over 40 species in the genus Etmopterus, putting a species name on this figure would be challenging. My identification is based on that Discovery Channel featured E. granulosus in an episode of Shark Week in 2016, and in that same year Forbes did an online article featuring a lantern shark that showed the same image that was used on the packaging for this figure.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Southern Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans
Habitat: Pelagic; at depths of 220-1,620 meters (usual range 400-600 meters)
Diet: Bony fish, marine invertebrates
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other lantern sharks, E. granulosus is bioluminescent. Dorsal photophores, flank markings, and brighter pectoral fin and claspers are likely to be used for intraspecific communications and the ventrally emitted light is likely to be used for counter-illumination.

[bmathison1972]

Species: †Titanochelon bolivari (Hernandez-Pacheco, 1917)

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Signatustudio
Series: 1:20 Miocene Collection
Year of Production: 2022
Size/Scale: Carapace length approximately 9.5 cm for a scale of 1:16-1:21
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Unique
Miscellaneous Notes: Most of the non-arthropod part of my collection is synoptic, so I don't have a lot to compare with this figure. However, the Colorata Aldabra giant tortoise and the CollectA 'Lonesome George' Pinta Island giant tortoise both scale with this model. The Schleich 2020 Galápagos tortoise might also scale well with it, depending what the species the collector chooses to have it represent.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Miocene of the Iberian Peninsula
Habitat: Open woodlands, woody grasslands
Diet: Browser on low-growing vegetation
IUCN Status (at time of posting): N/A [prehistoric]
Miscellaneous Notes: Phylogenetic analyses place Titanochelon as being most-closely related to the African genus Stigmochelys, suggesting the genus has an African origin. There are 10 described species in the genus, plus several that remain undescribed. Fossils have been found through southern and central Europe dating from the early Miocene to the early Pleistocene. It is believed the genus became extinct early in the Pleistocene due to cooling brought on by glaciation.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): monarch; milkweed butterfly

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: 4D Master
Series: Bug & Creature World
Year of Production: 2005
Size/Scale: Wingspan approximately 14.5 cm for a scale of 1.7:1-1.4:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the tenth time we have seen D. plexippus in the Museum. This is a puzzle figure and it comes in 26 pieces. According to the paperwork, one is a 'beginner' if they can assemble it in 13 minutes, 'average' if in 9 minutes, and 'advanced' if in 7 minutes. Despite the figure's size and quality, it has the common anatomical error of two many (six) function walking legs for a nymphalid. The same sculpt would be later used for other butterflies by 4D Master, including the Helena morpho, an 'eight-eight' butterfly, and Cairns birdwing.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: North, Central, and South America, the Caribbean, the Azores, Canary Islands, North Africa, Australia, Philippines, and South Pacific islands; rare stray to the United Kingdom
Habitat: Fields, forests, parks, gardens, disturbed areas
Diet: Larvae feed on milkweeds in the family Apocynaceae, especially members of the genus Asclepias; adults take nectar from a variety of flowers
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Danaus plexippus exhibits Müllerian mimicry with the viceroy (Limenitis archippus), whereby both species are distasteful to would-be predators; the latter can be distinguished by a black bar that runs along the lower portion of the hind wings.

[bmathison1972]

Species: Vespula flaviceps (Smith, 1870)
Common name(s): common Asian yellowjacket

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Bandai
Series: Diversity of Life on Earth - Hornets Vol. 1
Year of Production: 2020
Size/Scale: Wingspan (as displayed here) approximately 15.5 cm. Using forewing as a metric (n=6.7 cm) scale comes to 6.7:1-5.6:1 for a non-queen female specimen
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Very rare
Miscellaneous Notes: Like other Diversity of Life on Earth figures, this was is large, requires assembly, and the final product is articulated. It is probably also expensive, especially now nearly four years after its release. It is a model for collectors and not a toy to be played with. The only other figure of this species I am aware of was produced by Break Co. Ltd., and that identification is my own.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Central, East, and Southeast Asia, from Pakistan to East Russia, Indochina, and Japan
Habitat: Forests, woodlands
Diet: Larvae feed on insects provisioned by adults; adults feed on honeydew from sternorrhynchan insects and pollen from flowers
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Not Evaluated
Miscellaneous Notes: Vespula flaviceps is eaten as food in Japan. All developmental stages are eaten, but larvae are considered especially a delicacy. It can be cooked, fried, or pickled, and during some autumn festivals is served with rice. In the village of Kushihara, the people celebrate Hebo Matsuri on the third day of November, which is the world's largest wasp-eating festival!

[bmathison1972]

Species: Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common name(s): praying mantis; European mantis

About the Figure:
Manufacturer: Jasman
Series: unknown
Year of Production: unknown
Size/Scale: Body length (including wings) approximately 24.0 cm for a scale of 4.8:1-3.2:1
Frequency of species in toy/figure form (at time of posting): Common
Miscellaneous Notes: This is the fourth time we've seen M. religiosa in the Museum. I don't know much about this figure. Like most Jasman toys in my collection, I bought it randomly on eBay. It was probably produced in the 1990s.

About the Organism:
Geographic distribution: Southern Europe, Asia, North Africa; introduced to Australia and North America
Habitat: Forests, grasslands, agricultural fields, disturbed areas, parks, gardens; usually in areas with shrubby vegetation
Diet: Insects
IUCN Status (at time of posting): Least Concern
Miscellaneous Notes: Mantis religiosa does not engage in courtship displays. Males essentially 'ambush' females by sneaking up on them and jumping on their back. Once aboard, the male establishes a secure position using his raptorial front legs and his hind tibiae, the latter of which fit into grooves on either side of the female's mesothorax in front of her forewings. Mating takes about 4-5 hours, afterwhich the male detaches and then either drops the female to the ground (if on a branch, etc.) or leaves himself as quickly as possible, as females engage in sexual cannibalism.