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Sybilla pretiosa is a species of praying mantis found in southern Africa, also known as the cryptic mantis. They earn this moniker through their ability to grow asymetrically to match the vegetation of their environment. They can be identified by the characteristic leaf-like projections on the joint of their four walking legs. Adults are distinguished from other mantis species by their leaf-like wings, generally the only green portion of the mantis's otherwise brown and mottled exoskeleton. The spines on the raptorous forelimbs are long and needlelike, compared to the fine comb appearance of species such as Hymenopus coronatus, the orchid mantis. The thorax of the cryptic mantis is very thin and elongated, similar to that of the wandering violin mantis, Gongylus gongylodes. Adult females generally reach 5-6 cm in length while the males are generally about 1 cm smaller. The lifespan of the wild cryptic mantis is unknown, but they have been known to live up to 9 months in captivity (wild mantids likely live a little longer, a year and a few months). The mantis almost exclusively eats flying prey, with Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies being the food of preference for young nymphs in captivity. Adults and L5 or L6 nymphs can tackle much larger prey, such as house flies, small bees and moths.
