This document provides information about the order Mantophasmatodea. It discusses that there are 8 known species, commonly found in Africa and known as African rock crawlers or gladiators. They are wingless insects that live in xeric, rocky habitats and have enlarged arolium claws and a close evolutionary relationship to Grylloblattodea. Sexual dimorphism exists where females are wider than males. The order was established in 2002 and they exhibit characteristics of hemimetabolous development, filiform antennae, mandibulate mouthparts, and five segmented tarsi.