A CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE EMPUSIDAE, TARACHODIDAE AND MANTIDAE (DICTYOPTERA: MANTODEA) FAUNA OF ASPAT (STROBILOS), BODRUM, MUGLA, WESTERN TURKEY

Abstract

This paper maintains data about the Mantodea (Dictyoptera) fauna from Aspat (Strobilos) province of Bodrum, Muğla, Western Turkey. Species were collected using different methods namely, handpicking on vegetation, handpicking on the ground, handpicking under stone, light trap, bait trap and sweep net sampling. Sampling took place at two weeks' intervals during the years of 2008 and 2009. At the end of this research, three species belonging to three families of Mantodea were specified. Those are Empusa fasciata Brullé, 1832 (Empusidae), Iris oratoria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Tarachodidae) and Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mantidae). Sweeping net is the effective method (40.48%)in sampling and light trap (35.71%) method followed it. All three species were sampled in both years. E. fasciata was sampled in March-May, while I. oratoria was sampled in March-December and M, religiosa was sampled in June-November. Among those species Iris oratoria was the most abundant one. All these species have been recorded for the first time from Muğla province of Turkey.