About Acanthops falcata Stal, 1877
As its common name suggests, Acanthops falcata resembles shriveled or dead leaves. This species can be easily confused with Acanthops falcataria, a different species in the same genus that often shares the same common name. Compared to other mantids, species in the Acanthops genus have an unusually high degree of sexual dimorphism. The flightless female of A. falcata looks like a curled dead leaf and weighs between 400 and 500 mg. It has reduced wings that can be lifted to show bright warning coloration on its abdomen. The male of A. falcata weighs under 200 mg, has long functional wings, and these wings resemble a flat or rolled-up dead leaf when at rest. When perched, males often hold a specific posture: their head, grasping legs, and prothorax enhance their camouflage by mimicking the shriveled petiole and stipules of a dead leaf.
