It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Suriname.

[2][3] This South American shield mantis, like the sister species in its genus, exhibit a prothorax with a widened pronotum that is shaped like a hood or a leaf.

Individuals of this species can exhibit other colors such as red, blue, white, and gold on the ventral side of the pronotum.

The femurs of the mantis exhibit large black eyespots in order to aid in threat display against predators.

Males have more triangular heads, with big eyes paired with long and thick antennae for seeking out females during breeding season.

The hindwings start off as a lime color and then fade into yellow and then into bright red where the wing connects to the body.