The Praying Mantis (Mantis Religiosa)ContentsIntroduction Lessons First things first Main characteristics Basic characteristics Diet and fighting style Reproduction Growth and development Self-defense Cultural significance Praying Mantis Kung-FuINTRODUCTION"Praying Mantis" is the name commonly used in English-speaking countries to refer to a large, very elongated, slow-moving insect with front legs adapted for grasping and holding insect prey. The name "Praying Mantis" refers more properly to the specific species of mantis Praying Mantis or European Mantis, but is typically used more generally to refer to any member of the Mantis family. The name comes from the prayer position in which the insect holds its long jointed front legs while at rest or waiting for prey. It is also called "praying" mantis due to its predatory nature. CLASSES Many questions have arisen regarding the praying mantis. Such questions include how many different species exist in the animal kingdom. Estimates range from 1500 to 2200 different species of mantises WORLDWIDE. The most common figure given, however, is around 1800. The ways in which Mantises are classified in the Animal Kingdom. There is agreement that all mantid species constitute the insect family Mantidae. The Mantidae family, in turn, is part of the order/suborder Mantodea which includes a variety of mantid-like species. But the existing literature does not reflect a clear consensus on which insect order Mantodea belongs to. Some have placed Mantodea in the order Dictyoptera, along with cockroaches. Others place Mantodea in the order Orthoptera, along with crickets and grasshoppers. Finally, some believe that the Mantodea constitute their own independent order of insects. There appears to be an emerging consensus around this position. FIRST THINGS FIRST The Mantis Religiosa was first named and classified by the inventor of the modern system of biological taxonomy Carolus Linnaeus. The three common species of mantis in North America are the European mantis (Mantis praying), the Chinese mantis (Tenodera aridifolia sinensis), and the Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina). Distinguishing characteristics of these three species: Size The Chinese mantis is the largest of the three, reaching lengths of three to five inches. The European mantis, however, is a bit... middle of paper... while the struggle for food and existence has not revealed its secrets to us, we would never develop this new style." The Abbot replied: "You are right! To perpetuate the memory of the source, we will call this style "The Doors of the Praying Mantis" (Tang Lang Men). Wang Lang and the abbot developed twelve characters - guiding principles of the praying mantis fighting technique: zhan (contact), nian (attack), bang (connect), tie (press), lai (intrusion), jiao (provoke), shun (move), song (send), ti (lift), na (grasp), feng (block), bi (block). They also developed formal sets of praying mantis techniques, such as: Beng bu (crushing step), Lan jie (obstruction), Ba zhou (eight elbows), Mei hua lu (plum blossom technique), and Bai yuan tou tao (the monkey white steals the peach). However, this new style for a long time was a privilege of the Taoist monks of the Lao Shan Taoist religious community and was kept as part of the secret Taoist doctrine and closed to laypeople. Wang Lang, for the rest of his days, lived in the Taoist temple practicing self-cultivation, developing Praying Mantis Boxing, and following the path of Tao...."