On the life-cycle of ameles spallanzania (Rossi, 1792) (Insecta, Mantodea)

The recent find of an Ameles spallanzania population in a continental area of northern Italy permitted to redraw the northernmost edge of the distribution of this species and to study its life cycle in extreme climatic conditions. A comparison with collecting records of adult specimens from the Mediterranean area has been performed to put in evidence how this species adapts its life-cycle timings in different latitudes: hatching earlier or using nymphs to overwinter in warmer localities or oothecae in colder ones. Overwintering strategies of Ameles spallanzania have been compared with strategies of other genera of mantids that share the same habitat but have different life-cycle strategies and general distribution. Different developing times in mantids seem to be linked to behavioural strategies more than physiological attitudes.