Comments on: Aliens of the Rainforest

By: rainforest

rainforest — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:36:46 +0000

Hello Mimi,

What an excellent question! We referred to our Naturalist Center and found out that “phyllo” translates to “leaf” and “crania” means “skull. This makes sense since ghost mantids have leaf-like bodies!

By: rainforest

rainforest — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:09:24 +0000

Hello Deen,

Indeed, to me the mantids are reminiscent of the creatures in “Aliens”. The life cycle of a mantid begins as an egg in an eggcase. They hatch out as nymphs, which are miniature versions of the adults and identical in every way except that the nymphs lack wings. Over time, the nymphs grow in size and eventually at their final molt develop wings. At this stage they are ready to reproduce and begin the cycle all over again.

-Nicole

By: Brenda

Brenda — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 02:26:43 +0000

Very interesting, I am going to share with my clas. I teach 2nd grade and I’m teaching camouflage now. I use to love when the museum was close to Bart because I was able to take my class to the museum, now I can’t because buses are too expensive and with all the budget cuts we can’t afford to go
Thanks for sharing

By: Deen

Deen — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 01:49:21 +0000

Fasinating! I’m sure some SciFi movies were made with these guys as their models. What is their life cyle I wonder?

By: Janet

Janet — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:10:04 +0000

Wow! That is some handsome dude! I had a pet praying mantis for awhile, but not nearly as stunning as this creature.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:09:14 +0000

Interesting! I wish that I could see these creatures in person!

By: Mimi

Mimi — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 23:40:55 +0000

I live in NW Alabama in the Bankhead National Forest. I am excited by these photos and accompanying story of the Ghost Mantid Phyllocrania paradoxa. Can you tell me what if anything the Latin name translates to? This creature is a paradox but I don’t make a connection with the Phyllocrania handle? I applaud all the scientific field researchers and eagerly await each newsletter from Calacademy.

Thank you for keeping the General Public educated and fascinated.
Mimi