Purple-winged mantis (Tenodera australasiae)

Sentanu sayap unggu or purple-winged mantid or purple-winged mantis (Tenodera australasiae) is a species of praying mantis, purple-winged, male and female capable of flying, up to 8 cm, slender legs classified as small compared to other species, cannibalistic, eating a variety of insects, frogs, lizards and others.

Adult T. australasiae has stripes along the body and purple patches. Females are generally green with white lines along the top of the abdomen and chest, while males are light brown or brownish white. Green eyes, long thorax and prickly forelegs like other species.

Purple-winged mantis live in vegetation, including forests, rice fields, parks, settlements and along the roadside that have bushes, grass and large trees. Most active during March-May and young mantis has grown big in September.

They make camouflage well to avoid predators and ambush prey. Often hunt among bushes or tall grass by hanging a pair of back legs and pouncing on a passing prey with thorny forefoot.

The female lays the eggs in an ootheca 25 mm long and 15 mm wide. Young mantis hatches and looks like a miniature version without wings, 6 mm long and brown and purple lines on the back. Oothecae are often inhabited by wasp parasites.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Mantodea
Family: Mantidae
Subfamily: Mantinae
Tribe: Polyspilotini
Genus: Tenodera
Species: T. australasiae

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