Pseudocreobotra ocellata (Palisot de Beauvois, 1805)

Figs. 121–128

Empusa ocellata Palisot de Beauvois, 1805: 110, pl. 13, Fig. 2.

= Mantis ocellaria Drury, 1782: 58−59, pl. 43, Fig. 1.

Type localities. (E. o.) Nigeria; (M. o.) “African coast” .

Distribution. Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Angola, CAR, DRC, Uganda, W Kenya, Burundi (Beier 1954, 1968, 1969; Chopard 1954; Gillon & Roy 1968; La Greca 1950b, 1955; Lombardo 1997; Moulin et al. 2017; Palisot de Beauvois 1805; Prost & Roy 1986; Ragge & Roy 1967; Rehn 1912a, b, 1914, 1949; Roy 1962a, 1963, 1964b, 1965a, 1968a, 1969, 1971b, 1973b, 1975, 2018; Roy & Leston 1975; Werner 1928; pers. obs.).

Records. CSC: ♁, old camp, lux, 11.X.2000, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♁, old camp, 19.–21.X.2000, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♀, old camp, 12.–20.XI.2000, leg. juv. C. J. Schwarz; ♁, old camp, lux, 13.–19.XI.2000, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♀, old camp, P-Gen. leg. XI.2000, captive bred 2002, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♀, old camp, P-Gen. leg. XI.2000, captive bred, 23.IV.2002, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♀, old camp, P-Gen. leg. XI.2000, captive bred, VII.2002, C. J. Schwarz leg.; 2 ♀♀, old camp, P-Gen. leg. XI.2000, captive bred, 15.VIII.2002, C. J. Schwarz leg.; 4 oothecae, old camp, P-Gen. leg. XI.2000, captive laid 2002, C. J. Schwarz leg.; 2 ♀♀, new station, 22.IV.–06.VI.2018, M. Pohl leg .. SMNK: 2 ♀♀ + 2 oothecae, old camp, P-Gen. leg. XI.2000, captive bred, 15.VIII.2002, ded. C. J. Schwarz (SMNK-Mant. 07743–07746) .

Remarks. Found on inflorescences of higher forbs near water bodies, at forest edges, and in all types of secondary vegetation, from Senegal to the western shores of the Great African Lakes. First instars mimic bug nymphs (Fig. 125) (but see Edmunds 1976 and Neumann 2006, who argue in favor of ants). Older nymphs are polyphenic, adjusting their color to their immediate environment (Figs. 126–127).