Ameles decolor is a species of praying mantis native to the west Mediterranean.[1]
A. decolor is a species of praying mantis within the Amelidae family. A. decolor was first described as Mantis abjecta by the entomologist Domenico Cyrillo in 1787, but this classification was not formally recognized. In 1825, Toussaint von Charpentier formally classified the species as Mantis decolor.[2] In 1849, Pierre-Hippolyte Lucas reclassified the species as Harpax decolor[1], and in 1976, German entomologists Karl Harz and Alfred Peter Kaltenbach reclassified the species again as Ameles decolor. Since then, entomologists Paolo Fontana, Reinhard Ehrmann, and Barbara Agabiti have all upheld this classification.[2]
A. decolor is considered a small praying mantis. Males measure from 18 millimetres (0.71 in) to 27 millimetres (1.1 in) and females are slightly larger, measuring 19 millimetres (0.75 in) to 28 millimetres (1.1 in). The pronotum (prothorax) is slender and the abdomen is cylindrical. The eyes and body are an ochre color and the eyes sometimes present with a tubercle on their apical end. Males and females both share a similar head width and eye structure, with the main difference being that females' eyes are angled upward. Tegmin (front wings) for the males extend past the sub-genital plate and feature a narrow white stripe. Female front wings only extend to the distal end of the urotergite, making their wings substantially shorter than the males. Along the thorax, males have spare hair that females lack. Similarly, the posterior and middle legs in males have dense hairs while females' legs are only sparingly haired. Females present with longer femur, and tibiae, and their anterior legs are significantly larger. The abdomen of males is cylindrical with wide urosternites. Males also present with external genitalia. The abdomen of females is longer and narrower then males.[1]
A. decolor is often mistaken with Ameles heldreichi; these species are differentiated by A. heldreichi's rounder eyes and genitalia.[1] A. decolor is also similar to Ameles massai and is differentiated by its longer tegmin, shorter pronotum, and differing genital shape.[2]
The courtship behavior of A. decolor is considered one of the most complex within the mantis order. When mating, males will begin with a pattern of abdominal movements while performing a lateral "boxing" (side-to-side motion) with their prothoracic legs. A. decolor will also perform a series of stamping movements with their metathoracic legs, although it is unknown if these movements are connected to courtship behavior or incidentally occur. Individual components of A. decolor 's ritual have been observed in Tenodera aridifolia sinensis and Oxypilus hamatus during their mating rituals. Tenodera aridifolia has been observed to engage in a similar mating ritual, indicating both a common ancestor and that the behavior originated when the species' ancestors diverged. Females have been observed performing deimatic (startle) displays during courtship.[3]
Males follow two separate approaches when courting females. The first approach, the "vigorous approach", involves fast rotation of the forelegs and a wide bend in the abdomen. The second approach, the "shy approach", involves slowly moving towards a female with slow, side-to-side oscillations in the forelegs. This shy approach has been observed in other species of mantis. It has been theorized that, since mantises observe slow objects as further away, males may engage in "shy" behavior as a way to avoid predation by the larger females. During their approach, males will tap the ground to indicate a desire to mate, and once they have closed the distance, males will spread their forelegs and enlarge themselves. This is designed to discourage an attack by the female. Sexual cannibalism has been observed in the species but only before the initiation of courtship rituals, indicating that courtship significantly decreases the risk of the males being consumed. When coupling, the male will attempt to make a flying leap onto the female's back, engaging in mating movements similar to that seen in Tenodera aridifolia. During mating, males often tap antennae to calm the female and other males may attempt to uncouple mating pairs and mate with the female themselves.[3]
Egg masses are always found deposited under stones. A. decolor generally reaches adulthood in around July and will survive till October.[1]
A. decolor is native to the Mediterranean basin, and can range from central Europe to northern Africa.[4] Specifically, A. decolor is native to Algeria, Italy, Macedonia, Spain, France, Greece, Sicily, and the Ionian Islands.[1] It is still debated if A. decolor is native to Malta's islands, as there are only two accounts of it being present within the archipelago.[5] A. decolor is most commonly found in herbaceous vegetation, including grasslands, arid fields, and wooded areas.[4][1]
Ameles decolor is a species of praying mantis native to the west Mediterranean.
