Mantidae, Latreille, 1802

Schwаrz, Christiаn J., Ehrmаnn, Reinhаrd & Shcherbаkov, Evgeny, 2018, A new genus and species of praying mantis (Insecta, Mantodea, Mantidae) from Indochina, with a key to Mantidae of South-East Asia, Zootaxa 4472 (3), pp. 581-593 : 591-592

Key to the Mantidae genera of South-East Asia

The key presented here has to be regarded as preliminary, since paraphyletic genera as Hierodula Burmeister, 1838 or Rhombodera Burmeister, 1838 will certainly be split into several taxa once revisionary work has taken place, while new genera might also be discovered.

1 Pronotum hexagonal, its lateral edges extremely expanded and enfolding the head anteriorly; anterior surface of forefemur with large elongated bicolored blue-black spot along dorsal edge................................ Asiadodis Roy, 2004

- Pronotum simple, if expanded, then its lateral edges converge anteriorly and do not enfold the head; anterior surface of forefemur without large elongated bicolored blue-black spot along dorsal edge.......................................... 2

2 First discoidal spine longer than the second; tergite X (“supraanal plate”) elongated, trapezoidal...... Gretella Werner, 1923

- First discoidal spine shorter than the second; tergite X, if trapezoidal, short and transverse............................ 3

3 Phalloid apophysis (afa) small, compact, strongly sclerotized; meso- and metafemora without apical spine; anterior surface of forecoxa with a large basal black spot, occupying no less than a third of the forecoxa’s length, sometimes with a white spot inside it; if black spot is absent, then entire anterior surface of forecoxa covered with low but large white tubercles........ 4

- Afa large, often bilobed and extended along the edge; meso- and metafemora with apical spine, if without, then anterior surface of forecoxa with neither large basal spot nor large white tubercles........................................... 5

4 Anterior surface of forefemur with a dark spot, often also with a brightly colored orange or yellowish spot adjacent to it; apical process (paa) with simple apex.............................................................. Statilia Stål, 1877

- Anterior surface of forefemur without dark spot, but with a more or less distinct yellow spot at the claw groove; paa with bifid apex.............................................................................. Mantis Linnaeus, 1758

5 Afa strongly sclerotized, very stretched along the edge, with clear anterior and posterior processes; distal process of L4A always simple; hindwings at least in the discoidal field with a roughly chessboard-like pattern, with infumate areas along the cross-veins, or with large transverse black stripes; if hindwings completely transparent, then head flattened dorsoventrally, with its width significantly larger than its length............................................................. 6

- Afa more bulky and not very stretched along the edge, sometimes partially or completely membranous; distal process of L4A simple or bifurcate; hindwings transparent or infumate, without chessboard-like pattern or stripes; head not flattened dorsoventrally............................................................................................... 8

6 Head flattened dorsoventrally, with its width significantly larger than its length; meso- and metafemora without apical spine; forewings do not reach the end of abdomen even in the male; hindwings transparent............ Mesopteryx Saussure, 1870

- Head not flattened dorsoventrally; meso- and metafemora with an apical spine; forewings reach the end of abdomen; hindwings patterned....................................................................................... 7

7 Hindwings with wide black transverse stripes in the discoidal field; forefemur always with a large black spot at the claw groove; anterior lobe of afa weakly developed.................................... Tenospilota Roy & Ehrmann, 2014

- Hindwings with a roughly chessboard-like pattern at least in the discoidal field, and anal field transparent or infumate; rarely hindwings mostly transparent, but with infumate areas along the cross-veins in the discoidal field; forefemur usually without black spot at the claw groove, rarely with; anterior lobe of afa always well-developed, with rounded, truncate or bird-head-like apex........................................................................... Tenodera Burmeister, 1838 8 Forefemur with 5 posteroventral spines; afa membranous, S-shaped, covered by long and dense setae...................................................................................................... Mekongomantis gen. n.

- Forefemur with 4 posteroventral spines.................................................................... 9

9 Pronotum with a significant lateral expansion.............................................................. 10

- Pronotum without significant lateral expansion............................................................. 13

10 Lateral expansion of pronotum constricted in the middle, rendering it violin-shaped.......... Pnigomantis Giglio-Tos, 1917

- Lateral expansion of pronotum convex, not constricted in the middle............................................ 11

11 Pronotal expansion not reaching the base of the metazona.................................. Tamolanica Werner, 1923

- Pronotum with an expansion along its entire length.......................................................... 12

12 Metazona about two times as long as prozona; L4A with a simple long distal process; afa weakly sclerotized, with largely rounded lobes......................................................... Rhombomantis Ehrmann & Borer, 2015

- Metazona more than two times as long as prozona; L4A with a simple or bifid distal process; afa distinctly sclerotized, both lobes with acute apex.......................................................... Rhombodera Burmeister, 1838

13 Tergite X of male bilobed; paa with a pointed subapical tooth; costal field of female abruptly ending at distal fourth of forewing; body and forewings brownish with distinctly green or yellow costal field............. Ephierodula Giglio-Tos, 1912

- Tergite X of male simple, rounded or truncate, but never forming two lobes; paa with or without a rounded subapical tooth; costal field of female not abruptly ending at distal fourth of the forewing; forewings, if brownish, without distinctly green or yellow costal field.................................................................................... 14

14 Lower frons wider than high; body and forewings monochromatic or patterned.................................... 15

- Lower frons at least as high as wide or higher than wide; body and forewings more or less monochromatic.............................................................................................. Hierodula Burmeister, 1838

15 Metazona about two times as long as prozona, sharply constricting after supracoxal dilatation; distal process of L4A simple, very long and thin, curved backwards and reaching base of cerci; body whitish-green, mottled with contrasting darker patches, forefemur with three transverse blackish bands........................................... Stictomantis Beier, 1942

- Metazona significantly more than two times as long as prozona, gradually narrowing after supracoxal dilatation; distal process of L4A differently shaped; body greenish or brownish, without contrasting patches................................ 16

16 Costal field of male opaque, with very dense, irregular venation; pronotum of female longer than remaining body; distal process of L4A with two branches; afa very large, triangular, hairy........................ Camelomantis Giglio-Tos, 1917

- Costal field of male hyaline to subopaque, with very sparse venation; pronotum of female shorter than remaining body................................................................................... Hierodulella Giglio-Tos, 1912