The distinguishing cytological characters, including chromosome number and sex chromosome mechanism, have been tabulated for all mantids thus far studied cytologically—including 16 species (starred in Table 1) not hitherto examined. Data on 46 species in 17 subfamilies are reviewed. The XO♂—XX ♀ sex chromosome mechanism represents the ancestral condition for the family and has been retained in 14 of the subfamilies sampled. The distribution of the X1X2Y♂—X1X1X2X2♀ mechanism, previously known in the subfamilies Manteinae and Choeradodinae, is extended to include Mellierinae, Acromantinae and Vatinae. Cytological evidence indicates a monophyletic origin of the compound sex chromosomes and necessitates a reconsideration of the taxonomic association of XO and X1X2Y forms in the same subfamily, specifically of Miomantis and Callimantis with the other Manteinae, and Aethalocroa with Vates and Phyllovates in the Vatinae. The pre-metaphase stretch is established as a regular stage in male meiosis in 14—and is absent in 3—of the species checked for this character. It should prove of taxonomic value when a wider sampling of the lower categories is available. The prolongation of parallel pairing of homologous chromosomes in male meiosis appears to be characteristic of the Manteidae as a whole. No correlation is apparent between the degree of its expression and taxonomic category. Since it provides a mechanism, additional or alternative to chiasmata, for the post-pachytene association of homologues, its establishment permits the evolution of non-chiasmate meiosis in the group. Two structural types of bivalents—one with, one without chiasmata—are found. Present evidence favors the multiple origin of the non-chiasmate type within the family, and since both types may coexist in the karyotype of the same sex of a single species, presence or absence of chiasmata cannot be considered a valid taxonomic criterion.