Where two giants meet: the first records of Sphodromantis viridis in Sicily and Greece and the spread in Europe of Hierodula tenuidentata (Insecta Mantoidea) show new crossroads of mantids in the Mediterranean

Abstract

The first presence records of the Giant African Mantis Sphodromantis viridis(Forskål, 1775) (Insecta Mantoidea) are reported for Sicily and Greece, with new evidences on the human-mediated spreading of this species in the Mediterranean area. In Greece, Sphodromantis viridismeets the distribution of the Giant Asian Mantis Hierodula tenuidentata (Saussure, 1869), andthese two mantids have been recorded together in the same locality. Some single records fromFrance and Corsica also open the possible expansion of this species in more northern regions.These different spreading dynamics, taking place in the Mediterranean area, in a fast-evolvingscenario, are here discussed.