Department of Entomology

Title: The Praying Mantises: researching the origins of a "known" lineage

Abstract: With new phylogenetic data sourced from genes and morphology, an effort to revise higher-level praying mantis groups and genera is well underway. This effort has uncovered surprising patterns of evolution and indicates the origins of praying mantises are far more complicated than previously imagined. A number of projects serve to highlight how praying mantises can be used to study evolution and how amazing patterns can be found in unlikely lineages. This talk will highlight the broad patterns of praying mantis origins before discussing some of the more interesting findings on endemic Caribbean mantises, flower masquerading mantises, and some of the newest research on leaf dwelling mantises.