Mantodea (or mantises, mantes) is an order of insects that contains over 2,400 valid species and about 430 genera (Otte & Spearman 2012) in 15 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. Most of the species are in the family Mantidae. The English common name for any species in the order is "praying mantis" (Bullock 1812), because of the typical "prayer-like" attitude with folded fore-limbs, although the eggcorn "preying mantis" is sometimes used in reference to their predatory habits (Partington 1837, National Geographic Society 2011)
Family: Hymenopodidae Giglio-Tos, 1927
Genera: Ceratomantis, Creobroter, Hymenopus, Odontomantis
Family: Iridopterygidae Giglio-Tos, 1919
Genera: Tropidomantis
Family: Liturgusidae Giglio-Tos, 1919
Genera: Humbertiella
Family: Mantidae Burmeister, 1838
Genera: Acromantis, Amantis, Ambivia, Hierodula, Mantis, Rhombodera, Statilia, Tenodera
Family: Phylliidae Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893
Genera: Phyllium