Acanthops

Acanthops is a genus of mantises in the family Acanthopidae, containing 20 species that can be found in Central and South America.

Acanthops
Adult female Acanthops falcataria
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Mantodea
Family:	Acanthopidae
Tribe:	Acanthopini
Genus:	Acanthops Serville, 1831
Species
20 species (see text)

Description

Most species in Acanthops are colloquially referred to as the dead leaf mantis, a common name also used for species in several other mantid genera. The genus name translates from the Greek nouns ἄκανθα and ὅψ as "thorn eye", referring to the presence in all Acanthops species of a shorter or longer conical tubercle on top of each eye. Note that such ocular tubercles also occur in various other mantid genera.

Acanthops species have an unusual degree of sexual dimorphism compared to other mantids. The flightless female resembles a curled dead leaf folded back on itself, and weighs twice as much as the males do. It has reduced wings that can be raised to reveal bright warning colors on the abdomen. The male has long functional wings that resemble a flat or rolled-up dead leaf at rest. When perched, males often assume a posture where the head, grasping legs and prothorax add to the camouflage effect by recreating the appearance of a dead leaf's shriveled petiole and stipules.

Taxonomy

The following species are currently considered valid:^[1][2][3][4]

closeup of male Acanthops, possibly A. fuscifolia, showing the thornlike tubercle on each eye

Male Acanthops, possibly A. fuscifolia, with grasping arms cupped in a more stipule-like camouflage posture

Male Acanthops sp. with grasping arms partly extended in a more petiole-like camouflage posture

• Acanthops bidens Hebard, 1922
• Acanthops boliviana Chopard, 1916
• Acanthops brunneri Saussure, 1871
• Acanthops centralis Lombardo & Ippolito, 2004
• Acanthops coloradensis González, Miller & J Salazar, 2011
• Acanthops contorta Gerstaecker, 1889
• Acanthops elegans Lombardo & Ippolito, 2004
• Acanthops erosa Serville, 1839
• Acanthops erosula Stal, 1877
• Acanthops falcata Stal, 1877
• Acanthops falcataria (Goeze, 1778)
• Acanthops fuscifolia (Olivier, 1792)
• Acanthops godmani Saussure & Zehntner, 1894
• Acanthops occidentalis Lombardo & Ippolito, 2004
• Acanthops onorei Lombardo & Ippolito, 2004
• Acanthops parafalcata Lombardo & Ippolito, 2004
• Acanthops parva Beier, 1941
• Acanthops royi Lombardo & Ippolito, 2004
• Acanthops soukana Roy, 2002

See also

• List of mantis genera and species