This truly bizarre looking creature has the scientific name Gongylus gongylodes and is commonly known either as either the WANDERING VIOLIN MANTIS or INDIAN ROSE MANTIS.  It originates in southern India and Sri Lanka and is one of the most unusual looking species of praying mantis in the world, as well as being my favourite species!  This is a mature female:

You can see from the picture above where the species gets one of its common names from because, if you ignore its legs, it certainly does have an overall body shape resembling a violin!

As you can see the species has some very unusual features including leaf-like projections on its legs and an elaborate crest on its head, but probably the strangest feature of all about their bodies has to be the exceptionally long 'neck', or thorax as it is correctly named, which looks like it is far too thin and weak to support the rest of its body as you can see in these pictures of some of the smaller nymphs of this species below! 

Despite this feature this is a very tough and strong animal which, like all species of praying mantis, has a surprisingly powerful pair of front legs for catching their prey.  These legs are always much more robust and sturdy than the middle and rear legs as can be seen below:

They use the very sharp spines on these legs to catch their food, which in the case of this species consists mainly of flying insects.  Once captured the legs close very tightly around their prey and all the spines prevent the insects from having any chance of escape!  This is one of my absolute favourite species of insect in the world and it is fantastic both to be keeping them again and to be able to watch their interesting behaviours.