The Spiny Bark Mantis gets it common name obviously because it actually is camouflaged to look like bark on a tree.  The mantis is pale yellow brown.  It is long and skinny having four legs.  The mantis is mainly flat on top.  The spiny bark mantis is mainly found all over Australia.  The reason that I have written this essay is so you all can learn about this interesting mantis.  I guarantee that by the time you are done there will be nothing more for you to learn.

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The general description of this species is only a little different from other mantises.  The Spiny Bark Mantis is small.  It is a pale yellow color.  Camouflaged to look like bark, this helps it hide from predators, a very useful adaptation.  The Spiny Bark Mantis is also known to be able to change its color to look like the woods condition.  For example, after a big forest fire, the Spiny Bark Mantis is able to change itself to look burnt. The mantis has four legs and is flat on top.  All of these characteristics help protect the Spiny Bark Mantis from any predator.

The Spiny Bark Mantis is very interesting in its location and population.  They are mainly found in Australia.  There are over 2,200 different species of mantises in only 15 families.  The Spiny Bark Mantis however, has a very small population compared to the total amount of mantises.  The population of them is growing though.  Their species is just above being endangered.  The Spiny Bark Mantis population is safe, for now.

The Spiny Bark Mantis:  diet, feeding habits, and predators.  Mantises are predatory.  They will only eat meat that they have caught themselves.  They will eat anything small enough for them to capture and devour.  Larger mantises have even been known to prey on small scorpions, lizards, frogs, birds, snakes, fish, and even rodents.  A common feeding habit among Spiny Bark Mantises is to ambush their prey.  They will camouflage themselves and sit somewhere perfectly still.  Predators of the mantis are bats, owls, bullfrogs, and chameleons.  As you can see the Spiny Bark Mantis is very unique in all things that have to do with feeding.

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It is important to keep the Spiny Bark Mantis alive because it is close to being endangered. I think what stands out most to me about the mantis is that its camouflage and its feeding habits.  I think its ability to camouflage into tree bark is pretty cool and to be able to change into the woods condition (as in looking burnt).  Now I hope you can see why I think the Spiny Bark Mantis is unique compared to other mantises.

Author:  Chase T.
Date Published: 3/2013

Sources:  Wikipedia, Brisbaneinsects.com, and ALA.org
Photo Credit: http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_mantids/SpinyBardMantid.htm