Obtuse Rove Beetle vs Springbok Mantis

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Obtuse Rove Beetle Springbok Mantis
Scientific Name Tachyporus obtusus Miomantis caffra
Order Coleoptera Mantodea
Family Staphylinidae Mantidae
Size 3-4 mm 30-50mm
Habitat Grasslands Heathland
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe, Western Asia Africa, Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Obtuse Rove Beetle

A tiny, boat-shaped rove beetle with a yellow-brown pronotum and darker elytra. It is common in grasslands and meadows where it hunts among the grass tussocks for small invertebrates.

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Did You Know?

This beetle overwinters in grass tussocks at field margins, emerging in spring to colonize crop fields where it provides early-season pest control.

Springbok Mantis

A small bright green mantis native to southern Africa that has become invasive in New Zealand. Females are notorious for always cannibalizing males during mating. Males approach females with extreme caution.

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Did You Know?

Female sexual cannibalism is nearly universal in this species, with males being eaten during mating over 60% of the time.