A comprehensive review of mantid taxonomy is attempted, including desc
riptions of taxa, various developmental stages, notes on habitat prefe
rence in relation to temperature, altitude, vegetation and other facto
rs, and observations on offensive, defensive, prey capture and copulat
ory behaviour. Biological observations on mortality, colour pattern of
various instars and their significance, oxygen consumption and data o
n morphometrics of some species are provided. The patterns of distribu
tion within India and in relation to the Oriental Region and other zoo
geographic regions is also discussed. A total of 162 species under 68
genera of mantids from India are listed, of which 118 species are stud
ied and others reviewed from literature. Two new genera (Pseudothespis
, Parananomantis) and ten new species (Acromantis nicobarica, Axaxarch
a intermedia, Leptomantis nigrocoxata, Pseudothespis meghalayensis, Na
nomantis lactea, Parananomantis brevis, Hierodula (H.) assamensis, H.
(N.) beieri, H. (H.) nicobarica, and Mantis indica) are described. Hal
dwania liliputana is synonymized under Gonypetyllis semuncialis (n. sy
n.).