Spore Mantises, also known as Phasmid sylas, are a giant insect superspecies in the MonsterVerse created by Legendary Pictures that first appeared in the 2017 film, Kong: Skull Island.
Name
The name Spore Mantis is likely a reference to the creature's flora-like and insectile physiology. 'Spore' could also refer to its fungivorous diet.
Phasmid sylas is derived from Phasmid, a synonym of the order Phasmatodea, and sylas, a male human name of Latin origin meaning "of the forest" and it is also related to the Latin word silva, which means "wood" or "forest".
Design
Appearance
Spore Mantises exhibit a striking resemblance to elongated stick insects, albeit significantly magnified in size and enveloped by a protective exoskeletal covering reminiscent of bark. Their body structure comprises six legs, each encased within a bark-like integument. What is seen is only the outer skin, inside is the creatures true body: a soft-bodied, slug/grub-like animal. These creatures have diminutive heads that possess the remarkable ability to retract into their log-shaped armor. Particularly noteworthy are their prominent mandibles, akin to fangs, which serve the purpose of bone compression and crushing. Moss, fungus and other organisms also live in the barks of Spore Mantis, but their nature as a natural part of the creatures or parasites is unknown.
In Kong: Skull Island Cinematic Adventure, the artistic depiction of the Spore Mantis is more insectoid, with its outer body appearing to have plated, leaf-like barks on its external body and having a horn-like protruding branch. Its eyes are outside, on the tree-like exterior, and its forward-facing two pairs of legs in the front project outwards at close locants. The hind legs face backwards, like those of grasshoppers. Its green color is lighter than other depictions of the creature.
Roar
The roars of Spore Mantises are insect-like and very high pitched despite their size.
Personality
Spore Mantises live in the rainforests of Skull Island and remain camouflaged until their prey is within the right distance to attack. They use this camouflage to hide from predators and ambush prey, which they can also hunt down. They are fungivorous and partly carnivorous, eating fungus and small animals - including insects. If severely threatened, they tend to run away, but may fatally trample others. They can also be very aggressive when startled. Like most of Skull Island's fauna, they appear to fear the Skullcrawlers, and will flee at first sight of the amphibian monsters. Adult Spore Mantises are largely solitary, though parents may be found with young up to 10 feet in length before they are compelled to find their own territories.
Origins
A new king of trees has been crowned. The General Sherman tree might have the record in terms of height, but then again the General Sherman can't get up and hunt you down.
Housed within an epidermis of bark and vascular tissue, the Spore Mantis' trunk is host to a large, slug-like parasite with spiked teeth and bone-crushing jaws. The digestive system uses a protein-rich sap to digest and encase the bodies of its prey, before excreting the remains, perfectly preserved as crystalline amber droppings that clearly reveal what it has eaten within. Our cryptobiology department appreciates the transparency.
Inside the woody shell is a soft-bodied, grub-like animal. Its head protrudes from one end of the trunk, allowing the creature to consume fungus and small prey. Further complicating matters are the moss, fungus, and other organisms that make their home in the creature’s bark. Whether these are all parasites or part of the overall creature’s makeup is unclear. Some believe that at least one species of fungus it eats is somehow involved in its reproductive cycle.
Fortunately for Monarch staff, the Spore Mantis is not especially dangerous to humans. While partly carnivorous, they tend to eat smaller animals and insects. If seriously threatened, they tend to run away, though they can move very quickly and can easily trample a person in their path with the force of a semi-trailer. Killing a Spore Mantis is extremely difficult due to their thick armored bodies and massive size.
Adult Spore Mantis are largely solitary, though parents may be found with young up to 10 feet in length before they are compelled to find their own territories.
Inside the woody shell is a soft-bodied, grub-like animal, whose head protrudes from one end of the “trunk,” allowing the creature to consume fungus, insects, and small prey. Moss, fungus, and other organisms make their home in the creature’s bark, but whether these have a parasitic or symbiotic relationship with the creature remains unclear. Some believe that at least one fungus species that the Spore Mantis consumes is involved in the creature’s’[sic] reproductive cycle.
Fortunately for Monarch staff, the Spore Mantis is not especially dangerous to humans since, while partly carnivorous, they eat small animals and insects. Moreover, if seriously threatened, the Spore Mantis tends to flee. They can, however, move very quickly and easily trample someone in their path with the force of a semi-trailer. Killing a Spore Mantis is extremely difficult, due to their thick armored bodies and massive size.
Adult Spore Mantis are largely solitary, though parents may be found with young up to 10 feet in length before the young are compelled to find their own territories.
History
Kong: Skull Island
Jack Chapman encounters a Spore Mantis while trying to navigate through Skull Island on his own. After startling the Spore Mantis, he fires several rounds at the insectile monster as it looms over him. Upon spotting a juvenile Skullcrawler approaching from behind Chapman, the Spore Mantis turns and flees, leaving Chapman to be devoured by the Skullcrawler.
Godzilla x Kong: The Hunted
A Spore Mantis was among the taxidermized creatures kept in Raymond Martin's personal compound.
Return to Skull Island
A Spore Mantis was among the creatures that became Yuggoth's thralls.
Abilities
Camouflage
The inner soft body of the Spore Mantises are hidden inside wooden tree-like skin, allowing them to blend in with the surrounding forests. When lying dormant against the ground, Spore Mantises resemble fallen trees. They use this camouflage for hisimg from predators and ambushing prey.
Endurance and stamina
Within their large log-like bodies, Spore Mantises are granted basic protection against weather and weaker predators. Their bark-like skin can repel bullets from rifles. Killing one is extremely difficult due to their thick armored bodies and massive size. However, a Spore Mantis is seen fleeing a juvenile Skullcrawler in Kong: Skull Island, suggesting that these monsters can easily fall prey to the ravenous amphibians if not careful.
Intelligence
Spore Mantises engage in predation upon prey species that are either smaller than themselves. However, they exhibit a remarkable survival strategy whereby, in the face of encounters with larger and more formidable predators such as Skullcrawlers, they willingly relinquish their acquired sustenance, since they themselves are in danger of such predators as well.
Jaw strength
The jaws of the Spore Mantises are equipped with spiked teeth and capable of crushing bones.
Speed
The Spore Mantises' muscular appendages allow the insects to run across the ground at great speed, as seen in Kong: Skull Island.
Gallery
Production
Screenshots
Kong: Skull Island
Kong: Skull Island Cinematic Adventure
Godzilla x Kong: The Hunted
Return to Skull Island
Trivia
- Despite its name, the Spore Mantis does not resemble an actual mantis (lacking the trademark clasping forelimbs) and instead looks more like a stick insect.
- In real life, however, some species of animals have names that are different from what they are (e.g. sea lions being pinnipeds instead of lions, prairie dogs being rodents instead of dogs, titmouses being birds instead of mice, and most insects with the word "flies" in their names being unrelated to actual flies).
- It is possible that the name is a reference to Kamacuras, a kaiju who is an actual mantis.
List of appearances
Films
- Kong: Skull Island (First appearance)
Comics
- Godzilla x Kong: The Hunted (Taxidermied mount)
- Return to Skull Island
Games
Novels
Books
