Large Tropical Rove Beetle vs Green Shield Mantis

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large Tropical Rove Beetle Green Shield Mantis
Scientific Name Hesperus rufipennis Chlidonoptera lestoni
Order Coleoptera Mantodea
Family Staphylinidae Mantidae
Size 18-25 mm 30-45 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Predators Omnivores
Regions West Africa, Central Africa Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Large Tropical Rove Beetle

A large, impressive tropical rove beetle with red elytra and a black head and pronotum. It is one of the larger staphylinids in the African tropical forest fauna.

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Did You Know?

This beetle can deliver a painful bite with its powerful mandibles if handled carelessly, one of the few rove beetles capable of breaking human skin.

Green Shield Mantis

A flat-bodied mantis from West Africa with a wide, shield-shaped pronotum. Its flattened body helps it press tightly against tree bark for camouflage.

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Did You Know?

Its shield-like pronotum is proportionally one of the widest of any mantis species.