Creobroter

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Supercohort: Polyneoptera
Cohort: Dictyoptera
Ordo: Mantodea

Familia: Hymenopodidae
Subfamilia: Hymenopodinae
Genera: Attalia - Chlidonoptera - Chloroharpax - Congoharpax - Creobroter - Galinthias - Harpagomantis - Helvia - Hymenopus - Panurgica - Parhymenopus - Pseudocreobotra - Pseudoharpax - Theopropus
Name

Hymenopodinae Giglio-Tos, 1919

References

Giglio-Tos E., 1919. Saggio di una nuova classificazione dei Mantidi. Bullettino della Società Entomologica Italiana.
Moulin, N. 2020. A cryptic new species of Chlidonoptera Karsch, 1892 from the south west protected zone of the Central African Republic (Insecta, Mantodea, Hymenopodidae). ZooKeys, 917: 63–83. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.917.39270 Open access Reference page.
Wu, C. & Liu, C-X. 2021. Notes on the genus Theopropus Saussure (Mantodea, Hymenopodidae) from China, with description of a new species from the Himalayas. Zookeys 1049: 163–182. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1049.65295 Open access Reference page.

Creobroter is a genus of flower mantises in the tribe Hymenopodini; species are concentrated in Asia. The name comes from the Greek kreo-, meaning "flesh") and broter" meaning "eating", therefore, "flesh-eating", an apt name for a predatory insect. Both sexes have long wings and are capable fliers. Full-grown males are about 3 to 4 cm in length; females are about 4 to 5 cm.[1][2]

Camouflage and mimicry
Preserved Creobroter gemmatus with open wings

As the common name indicates, Creobroter spp. are known for having varicolored (yellow, white, red, brown, etc.) markings, which serve as camouflage by hiding the creatures' actual shape and making them look somewhat like flowers when hiding amidst green foliage.[2][3]

The resemblance to flowers may be greater in subadults of Creobroter than adults. This flower mimicry is only partial, but is attractive enough to make Creobroter species favored as pets, especially as they are more common and less delicate than the more flower-like Hymenopus.[1][2][4]

In some species (such as C. gemmatus), these markings also serve as eyespots when the mantis spreads its wings in a deimatic display.[5]

Rather than resembling foliage or flowers, some species of Creobroter resemble ants during their early nymph stages. Ant mimicry is a useful defense against predation for the young, as most ants are relatively unpalatable and aggressive, making insect predators that rely on vision to identify their prey, such as birds and wasps, avoid them.[2]

Around their third ecdysis, Creobroter spp. trade their ant-mimicking, dark, shiny appearance for the green and light-colored markings that make their outline so difficult to discern amidst vegetation.[2]
Species

No consistency is seen for the use of English common names for these species. For example, at least two Creobroter species found in India have been called "Indian flower mantis". Conversely, a Creobroter sp. collected in Thailand might be displayed in a collection as a "Thai flower mantis", while the same species collected elsewhere might be called a "Malaysian flower mantis". The following species of Creobroter are described (subject to review):[6][2]

Creobroter apicalis Saussure, 1869 (synonym Creobroter elongatus (Beier, 1929))
Creobroter celebensis Werner, 1931
Creobroter discifera Serville, 1839 - type species
Creobroter episcopalis Stal, 1877
Creobroter fasciatus Werner, 1927
Creobroter fuscoareatus Saussure, 1870
Creobroter gemmatus Saussure, 1869
Creobroter granulicollis Saussure, 1870
Creobroter insolitus Beier, 1942
Creobroter jiangxiensis Zheng, 1988
Creobroter labuanae Hebard, 1920
Creobroter laevicollis Saussure, 1870
Creobroter medanus Giglio-Tos, 1915
Creobroter meleagris Stal, 1877
Creobroter nebulosa Zheng, 1988
Creobroter pictipennis Wood-Mason, 1878
Creobroter signifer Walker, 1859
Creobroter sumatranus de Haan, 1842
Creobroter urbanus Fabricius, 1775
Creobroter vitripennis Beier, 1933