Ciulfina biseriata ( Westwood, 1889 )

Holwell, Gregory I., Ginn, Scott G. & Herberstein, Marie E., 2007, Three new species of Ciulfina Giglio-Tos (Mantodea: Liturgusidae) from north-eastern Australia, Zootaxa 1583 (1), pp. 23-35 : 28-29

Ciulfina biseriata ( Westwood, 1889) .

Nanomantis biseriata Westwood, 1889

( Figures 2 : 1–2; 6 a–b,)

Synonyms:

1904 Stenomantis [ Nanomantis ] biseriata ( Westwood,1889) . In Kirby, British Museum, Nat. Hist., 1:256; London

1912 Stenomantis novae-guineae brevis Werner, Gustav Fischer , 4: 52–53 (f); Jena

1924 Stenomantis [ Nanomantis ] novae-guineae biseriata ( Westwood, 1889) . In Tindale, Rec S.Aust. Museum, 23): 439, Taf. 15 Abb. 27 (f), 28 (m); Adelaide.

Revisio Insectorum Familie Mantidarum, Speciebus Novis aut Minus Cognitis Descriptis et Delineatis. London: Gurney & Jackson 53 pp. [32, no. 24].

Type: holotype male, Australian-NW (erroneous), Rockhampton ( OXUM) .

Type material examined. holotype Australian-NW, Rockhampton (1889, Westwood)( OXUM) .

Paratypes: 5♂ Bushland 5 km West of Yeppoon, Rockhampton-Yeppoon Rd, Qld, 23°09'S, 150°42'E, 23.ix.2003, G. Holwell, S. Ginn, A. Gaskett .

Other material examined. 5♂ Queen's Park , Mackay, Qld, 21°08'S, 149°11'E, 24.ix.2003, G. Holwell, S. Ginn, A. Gaskett ; 3♂ Clifton Beach , Cairns, Qld, 16°43'S, 145°39'E, 28.ix.2002, G. Holwell; 5 ? ♂ Bushland 1km Sth of Mareeba, Qld, 17°01'S, 145°25'E, 14.i.2005, G. Holwell ; 5♂ Cardwell Forest , 3km West of Cardwell, Qld, 18°17'S, 146°02'E, 16.i.2002. G. Holwell .

Diagnosis. The distinguishing male genital features of C. biseriata are (a) the heavily sclerotised, apically tapering distal process of ventral phallomere, which terminates in a large upper tooth with 2–3 smaller teeth below it; and (b) the quadrate shape of the lateral apex of the ventral phallomere.

Description of genitalia. Right dorsal phallomere typical (see C. baldersoni ), thumb-shaped, anterior apodeme typically spoon-shaped; phalloid apophysis heavily sclerotised, basal one third stout, then bent downwards at right angle then tapering apically, apex slightly bulbous but flattened at tip; apical process of left phallomere with robust base, moderately sclerotised, process slightly sinuate, gradually tapering apically, apex slightly bulbous and moderately sclerotised, process projects away from right phallomere angled acutely away from base of ventral phallomere, process not projecting beyond pubescent triangular membrane at base of left dorsal phallomere; pubescent triangular membrane slightly rounded without apical tip; ventral sclerotised process slender, heavily sclerotised, distinctly recurved apically, process much longer than in C. baldersoni ; distal process of ventral phallomere broad at base, gradually tapering apically, terminating in large upper tooth with 2–3 smaller teeth below, heavily sclerotised, apex slightly curved inwards; lateral apex of ventral phallomere somewhat quadrate, about three times as wide as distal process at widest point and terminating in line with apex of distal process.

Description of subgenital plate. Sternite widened medially; posterior margin with narrow triangular excision centrally; base stalks of styli medium length 0.3–0.5 mm, sometimes asymmetrical; styli stout, pubescent, similar in length to basal stalk.

a

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitus images of four Ciulfina species: C. biseriata (1. male, 2. female); C. baldersoni (3. male, 4. female); C. klassi (5. male, 6. female); C. rentzi (7. male, 8. female). Scale bar = 25 mm