Today we have arthropods and mammals, covering many bases of our readers’ interests. The arthropod pictures come from Al Denelsbeck, who shows a more extensive sequence of the molting mantis at his website, Walkabout. His notes:
Attached are five photos: four of a Chinese mantis (Tenodera aridifolia sinensis) and one of an unidentified cicada – I tried to pin down the species but have had no luck yet. These were two of four specimens all molting into adults at about the same time, all within 8 meters of each other. I unfortunately missed the very beginning of all of them. Shooting them took place over four hours this past Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, mostly sprawled on the ground.
Of special note is the following photo of the mantis, which shows one hind leg flexing creepily while the mantis works it free. Also visible are the empty wing cases, and the tracheoles which arthropods shed with the exoskeleton, something I didn’t know until I read a post on AAAS last year.
The cicada:
And one of the world’s weirdest animals from reader Karen Bartelt, a partially aroboreal anteater, which spends about half its time foraging for insects in the treetops. Its tail, as you can guess, is partly prehensile:
In May 2014 I went to the Peruvian Amazon for about a week. Nonstop wildlife. Early one morning on Rio Ucayali, we saw this tamandua anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla). The tan form is pretty common, but even our two local guides had never seen this melanic form.
For comparison, here’s the normal coloration of the tamandua (photo from Estundando A Biologia):
The cicada is likely the annual cicada. This is the widespread species that appears every year, late in the summer.
The 17 year variety came out of hiding two years ago here in NY. I got some footage of the molting process. The nice thing about that is they appear in such vast numbers they literally cover the ground with body shells. The annuals are pretty sparse. I’v never actually seen one molting.
I’m always hoping to see a cicada but I usually just see the dead ones. I did see two cicadas crawling up the tower next to my house and buzzing but they were far away.
I used to find the molted skins of the cicadas as attached to trees a lot. I had kept a bunch in a jar when I was a kid but don’t know what happened to it.
One can certainly ‘hear’ the annuals more often than they are seen.
Just the other day I found one that was in the middle of molting, but something had gone wrong with it as it had not molted fast enough before its cuticle starting to harden. That one will probably be bird food.
Beautiful photography, and amazing creatures! Such a wonderful variety. I enjoy all of WEIT, but the wildlife photos are my favorite feature (umm, just after Hili & Leon, that is!).
I’ll echo that! And this is the first time I recall ever seeing photos of either type of aroboreal anteater.
I never knew mantids moulted. I really like praying mantises. You can get quite close to them with your camera before they get noticeably perturbed.
The ant eater is lovely – I really like the prehensile tail!
A mantis with red ‘Go faster stripes’! They are fascinating animals.
Tamanduas are cute, I wouldn’t want to mess with one, though. Look at those claws!
Very enjoyable pictures.
I have never seen a preying mantis molt, but I have a large nymph of a Chinese mantis right now in a cage in front of me. Maybe I will catch the event. I love these insects. They are so amazingly alert the way they turn their heads to check out movements.
Have there been any investigations as to the evolutionary origins of molting? It’s really such a “bizarre” strategy (and temporarily risky) when you think about it that I’m wondering how it came about.
“Temporarily risky” is perhaps looking at it from the wrong end. Having external hard parts most of the time, for protection and leverage, seems like a better deal than staying soft all the time and being limited to a wormlike lifestyle.
To my mind, metamorphosis is the more bizarre adaptation. It’s like building a multi-stage rocket, where each stage serves as a platform from which to launch a whole new developmental program.
Al, what fascinating shots! I did look at the rest on your website, as I can’t get enough of molting arthropod pics, seriously. I particularly liked the cicada, just for looking more alien to me than the mantis, though I can’t think why. Love the way both species’ new wings begin all crumpled up.
Where do you live? Some place where there aren’t many mosquitoes, I hope. (Spoken as someone who’s been wearing a head-net when I take the dogs out at night.)
The head-net has been a requirement here in NY as well. The little gnats (Annoious buzingaflius) are so thick at times, they darken the sky for 8 or 10 centimeters around your head. Fortunately, the d*g is oblivious.
Ha, ha, the head-net I still use I bought up at Whiteface Mountain ~ 40 yrs ago! (I’m in SW MI now.)
And I’ve been traitorous enough to hope the d*gs (or even family members) draw the skeeters & deerflies away from me.
My wife has type “O” blood, said to attract various Annoia. I let her take he lead on the trail (she has a head net too).
Aargh, I’m type O too!
I’ve observed that deerflies tend to like the tallest perch they can find (note to all–always wear a hat in deerfly country) so I like to have either my son or husband along when necessary–both are 6’2″.
Oh, double bonus – you’re protected against lightning strikes as well. 😎
😀 😀
Karen, that must have been some trip! What an extraordinary critter–love those photos!
Many years ago I stumbled upon a tamandua (or he stumbled upon me) in Costa Rica, and I subsequently followed his meanderings as he rambled about checking out every termite nest till I was thoroughly lost. One of my favorite memories.