Idolomantis diabolica (1) Tropical Insect Praying Mantis Dyctioptera Mantodea

Idolomantis diabolica cm 9.8 Tropical Insect Praying Mantis Dyctioptera Mantodea, A1- quality (specimen present slight imperfections), only a piece, as in third photo.
Family: Empusidae (mantids, mantises).
Common name: Giant Devil's Flower Mantis.
Syn. Idolomantis diabolicum, Idolomantis diabroticum, Idolum diabroticum.

N.B. since, among the thousands of insects we have, only for the mantises you ask us if they are alive (and often you order them by mistake without even asking us), since probably (we see no other explanation) it is fashionable to breed live mantises, we would like to point out that these, like all the arthropods we deal with, whether they are beetles, spiders, scorpions or butterflies, are DRIED AND DEAD COLLECTIBLES, TO BE POSED BY THE CUSTOMER.
WE DO NOT HAVE LIVE INSECTS, WE ARE NOT A PET SHOP, as you can understand by taking a closer look at our site of scientific articles for collectors.
Or, strictly speaking, then the shells, sharks, stuffed birds would also be alive...

It is one of the largest species of praying mantises and is perhaps the largest that mimics flowers.
Females grow to about 13cm in length and males to about 10cm. It is native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Somalia, Tanzania, South Sudan and Uganda. The warning display is beautifully colored, with red, white, blue, purple and black.
The basic anatomical structure is similar to most of the species of the order Mantodea, but the morphology of each species varies according to its natural habitat, and this species is slightly modified (eyes, antennae) to improve its floral mimicry. Equally specialized is its behavior, to scare or confuse predators.
In the presence of prey (flies, moths, butterflies and beetles) I. diabolica, impersonating a flower, remains motionless. The jaws are used to decapitate and devour the prey, once grabbed.
Before reproducing, females expose the showy upper abdomen, releasing pheromones to attract a mate. However, even in this species sexual cannibalism is prominent, especially in captivity
Due to its beauty and its spectacular displays, I. diabolica is considered a prestigious pet.