First Record of Creobroter apicalis Saussure, 1869 (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae) in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka: Unveiling a New Geographic Record of Flower Mantis.

In Sri Lanka, the genus Creobroter has received inadequate attention, resulting in a scarcity of information with only C. pictipennis being recorded. We report the presence of Creobroter apicalis in Sri Lanka for the first time, extending its geographic distribution to Matara District, Southern Sri Lanka. Species identification was made with an examination of adult male and female specimens for morphological characters through detailed examination and reference to available literature and keys. Identification was confirmed with molecular analysis and comparison with other sequenced Creobroter spp.