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The little mantis lookalike is not a mantis
Mantisflies have prey-catching forelegs resembling those of praying mantises. They belong to Neuroptera, the order that also includes lacewings. The resemblance is an example of convergent evolution. Some species additionally mimic wasps.
The familiar silhouette belongs to a different lineage.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Mantispidae · Wikimedia contributors
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Reviewed: 2026-10-10