African Screaming Cicada vs Boxer Mantis

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute African Screaming Cicada Boxer Mantis
Scientific Name Brevisana brevis Otomantis scutigera
Order Hemiptera Mantodea
Family Cicadidae Hymenopodidae
Size 20-30 mm body 20-30 mm
Habitat Grasslands Grasslands
Diet Sap Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions Africa Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

African Screaming Cicada

The loudest insect ever recorded, producing calls at 106.7 decibels measured at 50 cm — louder than a chainsaw. Males call to attract females from great distances.

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Did You Know?

At 106.7 decibels, the African screaming cicada is louder than a rock concert and can cause hearing damage to humans standing nearby for prolonged periods.

Boxer Mantis

A small African mantis named for its habit of rapidly striking with its raptorial forelegs in a boxing-like manner. It has distinctive banded legs and a compact body.

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Did You Know?

Boxer mantises strike at prey with some of the fastest foreleg movements of any mantis species, snatching tiny fruit flies from the air with extraordinary precision.