Mantises are sometimes confused with stick insects ( Phasmatodea), other elongated insects such as grasshoppers ( Orthoptera), or other more distantly related insects with raptorial forelegs such as mantisflies ( Mantispidae). ![]() The closest relatives of mantises are termites and cockroaches ( Blattodea), which are all within the superorder Dictyoptera. Their elongated bodies may or may not have wings, but all Mantodea have forelegs that are greatly enlarged and adapted for catching and gripping prey their upright posture, while remaining stationary with forearms folded, has led to the common name praying mantis. They have triangular heads with bulging eyes supported on flexible necks. ![]() Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. ![]() The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are an order ( Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families.
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