The fishing mantid: predation on fish as a new adaptive strategy for praying mantids (Insecta: Mantodea)

By

Battiston, Roberto
Puttaswamaiah, Rajesh
Manjunath, Nayak

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2018-9-20

Original Publication

Journal of orthoptera research : JOR

Volume

27

Series / Issue

Issue: 2

Pages

155--158

Subjects

Behavior , Evolution , India , Learning , Vision

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Philadelphia, Penn Orthopterists' Society 1992-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jor.27.28067

 

Abstract

Observations in unmanipulated, semi-natural conditions were made of a single individual of the praying mantid Hierodulatenuidentata, while hunting and capturing an unusual prey for this kind of insect, guppy fish, Poeciliareticulata. This repetitive fishing behavior, recorded daily, is reported here for the first time and discussed in relation to the adaptive behavioral plasticity of praying mantids. We speculate regarding learning from experience as a hunting strategy.