Wahlbergii Mantis Loses To Long Tongue

[giesle]

Well I finally got a good long tongue shot. I've been trying with a subadult Idolo, but apparently it was too big, because after hours of trying I switched to my Spiny Flower mantis and within a few seconds it was gone. I didn't want to use this mantis because she seemed healthy and the Idolo was already crippled. But this mantis was actually getting pretty old and might be the oldest one I had ever had, so at least I put her to good use before she kicked the bucket. Luckily, my cham missed on his first try because I did too....first pic posted. I'm not even sure if his tongue was going out or coming back. Maybe somebody else knows by just looking. I had a feeling I pulled the trigger a little soon on that shot, but not positive. The second pic, I timed perfectly.....you can see that his tongue is wrapped around a wing and coming back.

 

[pigglett79]

That second photo is rediculously awesome!!! I just am amazed by your photography.

 

[Deac77]

That is epic! I'm trying to talk the spouse into mantis but no go lol! "You have tarantulas, a scorpion, and roaches NO MORE BUGS"

 

[dlegare]

WOW!

That last shot is amazing!

Where do you get the mantises?

 

[Olimpia]

Gorgeous! I'm glad I can't participate in the contest this month, because it's not worth trying when this second shot is going to be in it! Really beautiful shot.

 

[carol5208]

Oh my gosh, that is the coolest shot ever!!! Your photography is just amazing. If you enter that in the photo contest, you are sure to win! Everyone is going to start hating you!! just kidding!

 

[showjet95]

Ditto. Another gold medal winning photo! awesome pic!

 

[giesle]

Thanks everybody.

WOW!

That last shot is amazing!

Where do you get the mantises?

There's a classified section here....http://mantidforum.net/forums/

 

[maxttu]

Most excellent! Congrats on the capture!

 

[asongforyou]

Wow! Amazing shot!! Id frame those pictures

 

[Justin18]

Wow that is an amazing picture! Definitely a for sure winner in this months photo contest lol

 

[d3s5]

GREAT pics! That second shot is ahhh-mazing!

 

[ShipYourReptiles]

That second pic is world class! Nice job!

 

[ambanjamom]

These are such awesome pics.Excellent shot,beautiful cham,what more is needed for a win this month

 

[Rush2112]

Fantastic shot! Beautiful cham as well!

 

[tony19]

Wow that is the coolest shot I think I've ever seen. Well done great job. Nice Cham also

 

[tony19]

That is epic! I'm trying to talk the spouse into mantis but no go lol! "You have tarantulas, a scorpion, and roaches NO MORE BUGS"

Well that's no good. Tell him to stop being such a girl hahaha....

 

[Chris Anderson]

Beautiful shots! Really like the second one!

Luckily, my cham missed on his first try because I did too....first pic posted. I'm not even sure if his tongue was going out or coming back. Maybe somebody else knows by just looking.

He was actually retracting his tongue in both photos. During projection, the entoglossal process (the elongate projection of the tongue skeleton that is causing the proximal portion to stick out straight) would be in line with the trajectory of the accelerator muscle and tongue pad. As you can see in both of these photos, the entoglossal process has tilted up in response to the activation of the retractor muscles. In the first photo, you can see that the tongue pad has already recoiled back some, causing the "S" shape, and in the second photo, you can see that the pouch of the tongue pad has already started to close around what looks like the mantid's wing, as the tongue begins to be retracted.

Chris

 

[A1forall]

Awesome pictures!! What DSLR settings did you use??

 

[giesle]

Thanks all.

Beautiful shots! Really like the second one!



He was actually retracting his tongue in both photos. During projection, the entoglossal process (the elongate projection of the tongue skeleton that is causing the proximal portion to stick out straight) would be in line with the trajectory of the accelerator muscle and tongue pad. As you can see in both of these photos, the entoglossal process has tilted up in response to the activation of the retractor muscles. In the first photo, you can see that the tongue pad has already recoiled back some, causing the "S" shape, and in the second photo, you can see that the pouch of the tongue pad has already started to close around what looks like the mantid's wing, as the tongue begins to be retracted.

Chris

Thanks a lot for the info. Good to know.

Awesome pictures!! What DSLR settings did you use??

I had one flash hitting the back wall, one flash with a diffuser on the cham, and the hotshoe flash on the camera that was doing the communicating was pointed straight up bouncing off the ceiling for some fill. All three were at the same setting of 1/4 power. Before I did the shots, I wasn't sure if 1/4 power, which translates to about 1/4000 of a second, would be quick enough. It just barely was. When looking at the full size image and scrolling around, there is a little motion blur coming from the mantis, but just slightly.....only noticeable when pixel peeping and before I sharpened. Other settings....iso100, 1/200 sec, f5.6 to help blur the back wall.