Dead Leaf Mantis (Deroplatys truncata)

Dead Leaf Mantis Deroplatys truncata
Name	Dead Leaf Mantis
Name Lat.	Deroplatys truncata
Family	Mantids
Family lat.	Mantidae
Order	Praying Mantids
Order lat.	Mantodea
Origin	Southeast Asia
Habitat	Rainforest
Diet	Live insects
Humidity	60-80 %
Behavior	Predatory
Keeping	Individual
Care Level	Moderate
Housing	Semi humid terrarium
Breeding	Moderately difficult
Life Span	♂ 4, ♀ 10 months
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	♂ 5 cm, ♀ 8 cm
Temperature Day	25-30 °C
Temperature Night	20-22 °C
Housing Size	30 x 30 x 30 cm
US Units
Size	♂ 2", ♀ 3"
Temperature Day	77-86 °F
Temperature Night	68-72 °F
Housing Size	10" x 10" x 10"

Distribution and habitat

The range of Deroplatys truncata extends from Thailand across the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Java and Borneo. They inhabit tropical rainforests, where they live near the ground on roots, tree trunks and shrubs

Maintenance

A terrarium or insectarium of the size 30 x 30 x 30 cm (L x W x H) can be recommended as a guideline, when keeping a group correspondingly larger. A container with a cover made of gauze or a fine metal grid is best suited, which should be placed in a quiet place without sunlight.

They need an insectarium structured with sufficient branches, pieces of bark and roots (hiding places, privacy screen), a substrate of sand-earth mixture (terrarium humus) covered with a layer of foliage, which should always be kept slightly moist, as well as a small, shallow drinking vessel with water gel or a absorbent cotton drinker. Artificial or live plants are suitable for decoration

The insectarium should be lightly sprayed with water daily, preferably in the evening. Waterlogging should be avoided.

Temp. day: 25-30 °C

Temp. night: 20-22 °C

Humidity: 60-80

The lighting duration should be 12 hrs. Light sources that also produce the necessary heat are ideal.

Diet

They are predatory and seize even very large prey at lightning speed with their spiny tentacles. The food supply consists of fruit flies (Drosophila), flies, house crickets, crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches, small arachnids, etc., according to their size. It is important to regularly add minerals and vitamins (e.g. by dusting the feeders). The quality of the feeders can be enhanced by feeding overripe fruit and honey water. A few days before, during and after molting, they refuse to eat. No predatory feeders (e.g. crickets) should be left in the insectarium during molting, as during this time the animals are unprotected and may become prey themselves. A varied diet promotes health and prevents deficiency symptoms.

Reproduction and breeding

Adult females are slightly larger and stronger than the slimmer males. Males have 8, females only 6 abdominal segments. Females are sexually mature about 4 weeks after the last moult (imaginal moult), males already after about 3 weeks.

After mating, which lasts several hours, the female lays 3-6 egg packages (oothecae) after 1-4 weeks, usually on twigs. The female guards the eggs until they hatch. At a temperature of about 28-30 °C and a humidity of 70-80 % 20-50 nymphs hatch after about 5-7 weeks. They should be fed immediately with small fruit flies or microhermits, so that they do not eat each other (cannibalism).

After imaginal molting, females live up to 10 months, males about 3-4 months.

Important

Group keeping is only possible of larvae to L4/L5 and adult males

Before mating, a large food animal should be offered to the female to reduce the risk of her eating the male. It is recommended to keep females singly.

They have very good camouflage due to their body shape and coloration, and their often prolonged immobility, and are very similar to a wilted leaf (leaf mimesis)

Before purchasing, an insectarium should be prepared that meets the species-specific needs. Good ventilation without drafts is necessary, as well as equipment for measuring temperature and humidity. The lighting should correspond to the species-specific day-night rhythm and should be placed in such a way that the animals cannot injure themselves. The insectarium should be locked in such a way that neither unauthorized persons can open it nor the animals can escape. Special attention must be paid to thorough hygiene and contamination must be removed regularly.

Further literature can be found in your pet store.

References

Text: petdata; Image: Alex Rinesch

Source: ENGELMAN & LANGE (2011): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Wirbellose, Verlag Harri Deutsch; EHRMANN (2002): Mantodea - Gottesanbeterinnen der Welt, Natur und Tier-Verlag