Empusa fasciata Brulle, 1832

Abu-Dannoun, Omar & Katbeh-Bader, Ahmad, 2007, Mantodea of Jordan, Zootaxa 1617, pp. 43-56 : 48-49

Empusa fasciata Brulle, 1832

Distribution: Algeria, Asia Minor, Crete, Croatia, Cyprus, East-Europe, Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Jordan, Slovenia, Palestine, Rumania and Turkey.

Material examined: (115) specimens: Abu Alanda 23.X.87 (1N); Al Abdaleyyah 30.III.05 (1N); Al Ameer Hamza Forest 11.IX05 (1N); Al Arab Dam 8.XI.05 (2N); Al Barrah 5.IX.05 (3)N; Al Bassah 5.VII.05 (1N); Al Azraq 19.IV.95 (1M); Al Faysaliah 29.IV.98 (1M); Al Jubayhah 27.II.90 (1N), 3.III.90 (1N), 7.III.81 (1N), 8.III.89 (1N), 8.III.91 (1N), 3.III.96 (1N), 12.III.77 (1N), 20.III.84 (1N), 2.IV.? (1N), 2.X.85 (1N), 3.X.85 (1N), 17.X.78 (1N), 24.X.78 (1N), 29.X.77 (2N), 16.XI.86 (1N), 21.XI.89 (1N); Amman 25.III.? (1N), 30.IV.96 (1F) 17.V.83 (1M), 25.XI.78 (1); Anjarah 27.IX (1N), 15.VIII.05 (1N), 11.IX05 (1N); Ar Rumman 18.III.04 (1N), 27.VII.04 (1N), 14.IX.04 (1N); Ar Rummanah Camp 4.IX.05 (2N); As Salt 2.V.98 (1M); Assarow As Salt 11.II.05 (1N), 4.IV.03 (1)M, 8.IV.03 (1M), 23.IV.03 (1F,1M), 25.IV.03 (1F), 27.IV.04 (1F), 3.V.04 (1) ootheca, (16 Nymphs emerged on 26.VI.04) 7.V.03 (1M), 6.VIII.05 (1N); At Tayyibah 15.IV.95 (1M); Ayn Musa 19.VII.05 (1N); Az Zarqa’ 30.I.96 (1N); Bate Yafa 27.VII.04 (1N); Berqish 7.X.04 (1N); Dabuq 30.IV.? (1M); Dayr Alla 24.XII.94 (1N); Dibbin 1.V.93 (1M); Ghawr as Safi 2.XI.86 (1N); Ghawr Kabid 20.III.93 (1M), 4.IV.96 (1M), 14.IV.94 (1N), 8.V.79 (1M), 10.V.92 (1F), 3.VII.95 (1M); Hummrit As Sahin 8.VIII.05 (2N), 6.IX.04 (2N); Iraq Al Ameer 5.VII.05 (1N); Irbid 4.IV.? (1M), 23.X.96 (2N), 23.X.97 (6N), 26.XII.77 (1); Jarash 12.II.92 (1M), 13.IV.04 (1F), 4.V.91 (1N), 20.IV.03 (1F,1M); Jawa 2.I.93 (1N); Jordan Valley 30.III.93 (1M), 2.XI.04 (1M), 30.XI.94 (1N); Kufr Jayiz 30.III.04 (3N); Kufr Khal 19.IV.03 (1F), 11.IX.05 (3N); Kurayyimah 20.IX.94 (1F); Ma’in 28.II.05 (1N); Mlahe-Madaba 28.II.05 (1N); Nahlah 2.IV.77 (1N); Nepo 19.VII.05 (1N); Suwaylih 25.IV.88 (1N); Turkey Forest 3.IV.05 (1N); Umm Al Basateen 3.V.04 (1F) ( JPUC); Umm Al Madares 5.VII.05 (2M); Umm Qays 17.V.98 (1N); Wadi Al Je’ah 11.IV.05 (1F), 15.IV.05 (1) ootheca, 16.IV (2) small ootheca, (12 Nymphs emerged on 8.VI.05); Wadi As Sir 2.IX.86 (1N); Wadi Shu’ayb 20.IV.? (1M), 7.V.84 (1M), 27.VI.05 (1N), 19.IX.05 (1N); Yarqa 6.IV.04 (1F,1M); Yajuz 5.IV.88 (1N); Zubea 7.X.04 (1N).

Remarks: Adults of Empusa fasciata were seen catching and feeding on crane flies ( Tipulidae ).Even though both sexes are winged they are not particularly good fliers and many specimens were collected by hand. This species was collected on Ononis spinosa , Ononis natrix , Sarcopoterium spinosum , Varthemia iphionoid, Balluta undulata and Fumaria densiflora . The nymphs have striking mimicry to the pink flowers of Fumaria densiflora , which bloom between March and April. The species overwinters as nymphs. Adults usually appear from between March and May. It was easy to rear and individuals can stay alive without food about 30–40 days. The ootheca is usually layed between April and May. In our study, one female produced 3 oothecae; the first one was the largest and included 16 eggs.