Jewel Scarab vs Ecuadorian Dead Leaf Mantis

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Jewel Scarab Ecuadorian Dead Leaf Mantis
Scientific Name Chrysina resplendens Acanthops elegans
Order Coleoptera Mantodea
Family Scarabaeidae Acanthopidae
Size 25-35 mm 35-48 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Wood Feeders Omnivores
Regions Costa Rica, Panama Ecuador, Northern Peru
Conservation Not Evaluated Data Deficient

Jewel Scarab

A beetle that appears to be made of polished gold, found in cloud forests of Central America. Its reflective shell is composed of chiral nanostructures.

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Did You Know?

Its shell reflects circularly polarized light, a property almost unique in the animal kingdom.

Ecuadorian Dead Leaf Mantis

An elegant dead leaf mantis from the western Amazon basin of Ecuador. It has refined leaf mimicry with smooth, curved wing edges.

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Did You Know?

Its smoother wing outline distinguishes it from the more ragged-edged species in the genus.