praying mantids on ugljan island: first comprehensive survey on mantid diversity and alien species

Ugljan island, located in northern dalmatia, croatia, is known for its diverse habitats but has remained largely unexplored in terms of its mantodea fauna. this study presents the first survey of praying mantids on this island. a total of 23 mantid individuals and 12 oothecae representing six species (ameles decolor, ameles spallanzania, empusa fasciata, iris oratoria, mantis religiosa, and hierodula patellifera) were documented for the first time from this island. notably, the presence of iris oratoria on ugljan represents one of the northernmost records of this species along the adriatic, supporting evidence of its gradual range expansion northward. additionally, the detection of h. patellifera further confirms the ongoing spread of this invasive species along the adriatic coastline. these findings contribute valuable new data on croatia's mantid biodiversity and underscore the need for continued monitoring to track species movements and the effects of environmental change on regional insect populations.