FIGURE 1 in A historical review of praying mantid taxonomy and systematics in the Neotropical Region: State of knowledge and recent advances (Insecta: Mantodea)

FIGURE 1. Historical trend of mantid species descriptions, 1758–2010 (valid species only). Sudden increase in the number of species described by year 1869 corresponds to the beginning of activities of H. de Saussure on mantid taxonomy. Steady increase to 1939 was due to activities of J.O. Westwood, E. Giglio-Tos, L. Chopard, J.A.G. Rehn, M. Hebard and M. Beier (63% of all known Neotropical mantid species were described between 1869 and 1939). Interest plateaued until early 1980's when Neotropical mantid taxonomy experienced renewed interest.