The Shroomtis

Bioluminescence is an important part of the Siberian glowcaves, it gives light and allows the ecosystem to keep thriving due to spore dispersal. However some, like the Shroomtis (genus fungusabdominus)take advantage of this light to survive.

Shroomtids are a family of glowcave mantids descended from the praying mantis that mimic the different kinds of glowcave fungi similar to how orchid mantids mimic flowers.

Biology

The upper half of the tibia has a rounded chitin flap shaped like a mushroom cap that makes the leg look like a mushroom, little grooves on the bottom of the flap also give the illusion of mushroom gills. This chitin flap is also found on the end of the abdomen that the shroomtis raises up while hiding.

The shroomtis still has sharp eyesight and it helps it spot prey and avoid predators, but it has to be near a large cluster of glowing mushrooms to be fully functional due to the amount of light it gives off. When the shroomtis can't rely on its vision (which is very rare), it uses its strong sense of hearing to sense very small vibrations and catch its prey. 

The shroomtis feeds mostly on bioluminescent insects and absorbs their luciferase and stores it in its lower legs and abdomen to attract prey, it can switch this glowing on and off at will.

Behavior

Shroomtids are solitary ambush predators just like other mantids. While hunting it sets up camp, raises its mushroom-like abdomen and lights up. It can devour its prey within minutes.

When mating, the male lights up its whole body and shakes its abdomen to attract mates. If the female is hungry, she will eat the male while mating. To counteract this, males will sometimes bring food for the female.

The ootheca is deposited in a humid area of the cave on the underside of a mushroom. Once the young hatch, few survive. Shroomtids go through 8 molts throughout their lives with the fungal mimicry adaptations appearing after the first molt and wings appearing during the sixth molt.