Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

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Galapagia solitaria Scudder, 1893

Mantis religiosa, Praying Mantis

Dorsal view of Galapagia solitaria (ICCDRS 36040). Photo: Carlos Espinosa.
Dorsal view of Galapagia solitaria (ICCDRS 36040). Photo: Carlos Espinosa.

Arid to humid forest zones; January-March, June, September-October. The adult males have functional wings, but adult females have much reduced wings. Collected by beating vegetation, in malaise traps, or at lights.

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Arthropoda

Class
Insecta

Order
Mantodea

Family
Thespidae

Section
Thespini

Genus
Galapagia

Species
solitaria

Taxon category: Accepted

The lectotype is deposited in the USNM collection.

Origin: Endemic

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: Baltra, Española, Floreana, Isabela, San Cristóbal, Santa Cruz, Santiago, Seymour (Hebard, 1920), (Scudder, 1893), (Linsley, 1966), (Peck, 2001), (Svenson, 2014). ICCDRS 36041 Isla Rábida ICCDRS 36034 Isla Santa Fé

References

  • Hebard, M. (1920) Expedition of the Calfornia Academy of Sciences to the Galapagos Islands, 1905-1906. 17. Dermaptera and Orthoptera. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Fourth Series 2(17): 311-346.
  • Hickin, N. (1979) Animal life of the Galapagos. Ferundune Books, Faringdon, U.K., 236 pp.
  • Linsley, E.G. Usinger, R.L. (1966) Insects of the Galápagos Islands. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences Fourth Series 33(7): 113-196.
  • Peck, S.B. (1996) Diversity and distribution of the orthopteroid insects of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Canadian Journal of Zoology 74: 1497-1510.
  • Peck, S.B. (2001) Smaller Orders of Insects of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador: Evolution, Ecology, and Diversity. NRC Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 278 pp.
  • Svenson, G.J. (2014) The type material of Mantodea (praying mantises) deposited in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, USA ZooKeys, (433), 31–75. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.433.7054

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This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Galapagia solitaria", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=5896. Accessed 31 October 2026.