About Odontomantis planiceps Haan, 1842
Odontomantis planiceps is a small mantis species. Adult body size differs by sex: males reach 1.4 cm, while females reach 2.0 cm. It is commonly known as the Asian ant mantis, because juvenile individuals up to the 3rd instar use Batesian mimicry to resemble black ants, a defense that protects the most vulnerable life stage of this species. From the 1st to 3rd instar, Odontomantis planiceps is completely black, with green bands along the edges of every thorax segment. After molting into the 4th instar and through to its final adult molt, individuals are mostly green, with some color variation that depends on the vegetation they live in.
This mantis species is very common across its native range. It acclimates well to human-altered environments, and even thrives in urban gardens where it lives on ornamental plants. It has a wide geographic distribution: most specimens have been collected in Southeast Asia, ranging from Malaysia to Indonesia, and the species has also been recorded in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
