Mantidae

<p>Mantidae is one of the largest <a href="/facts/Family_(biology)/qTrn6E8E">families</a> in the <a href="/facts/Order_(biology)/GKLJvIpt">order</a> of <a href="/facts/Mantodea/4Lc2uTD9">praying mantises</a>, based on the <a href="/facts/Type_species/kL03T6V4">type species</a> <i><a href="/facts/Mantis_religiosa/hIgxbpq1">Mantis religiosa</a></i>; however, most genera are tropical or subtropical. Historically, this was the only family in the <a href="/facts/Order_(biology)/GKLJvIpt">order</a>, and many references still use the term "mantid" to refer to any mantis. Technically, however, "mantid" refers only to members of the family Mantidae, and not the numerous remaining <a href="/facts/Family_(biology)/qTrn6E8E">families</a> of mantises. Some of the most recent classifications have promoted a number of the mantid <a href="/facts/Subfamily/2QPtfDS4">subfamilies</a> to the rank of <a href="/facts/Family_(biology)/qTrn6E8E">family</a>, e.g. <a href="/facts/Iridopterygidae/cXpeqcwQ">Iridopterygidae</a>, <a href="/facts/Sibyllidae/RJoSGQGV">Sibyllidae</a>, <a href="/facts/Tarachodidae/8frr19Vq">Tarachodidae</a>, <a href="/facts/Thespidae/H6gApA22">Thespidae</a>, and <a href="/facts/Toxoderidae/VFy4CCEy">Toxoderidae</a>, while other classifications have reduced the number of <a href="/facts/Subfamily/2QPtfDS4">subfamilies</a> without elevating them to higher rank.
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Mantidae open-in-new

Mantidae