About Gongylus gongylodes Linne, 1758
Gongylus gongylodes, also called the wandering violin mantis, ornate mantis, or Indian rose mantis, is a species of praying mantis belonging to the family Empusidae. This species is characterized by extremely slender limbs with large appendages. It is not a particularly aggressive mantis, and it is often kept as a pet. The species is especially well known for swaying its body back and forth to mimic a stick blowing in the wind. It primarily feeds on flying insects. Its native range is southern India and Sri Lanka, and it is also found in India, Java, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand more broadly. This mantis can reach up to 11 cm (4.3 in) in total length. Adult females reach about 10 cm (3 in) long, while adult males reach about 9 cm long. Males of the species are capable of flight. It is a communal species, meaning it can live and breed in large groups without unnecessary cannibalism. Its specific name gongylodes means "roundish" in Greek, and it shares the root of this word with its generic name Gongylus.
