Dystacta Saussure, 1871

Tedrow, Riley, Nathan, Kabanguka, Richard, Nasasira & Svenson, Gavin J, 2014, A new species of Dystacta Saussure, 1871 from Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda (Insecta, Mantodea, Dystactinae), ZooKeys 410, pp. 1-21 : 5-8

Dystacta Saussure, 1871

Dystacta : Saussure 1871: 455; Stål 1877: 51; Westwood 1889: 17; Kirby 1904: 226; Giglio-Tos 1927: 206; Beier 1935: 21; Beier 1964: 947; Beier 1968: 10; Ehrmann 2002: 124; Otte and Spearman 2005: 30.

Genus-type.

Dystacta paradoxa Saussure, 1871 (by monotypy). The genus-type is currently the junior synonym of Mantis alticeps Schaum, 1853.

Taxonomic history.

Henri de Saussure created the genus Dystacta in 1871 (pg. 445) for a male specimen collected by M. Brunner de Wattenwyl in South Africa, Dystacta paradoxa Saussure, 1871. Later, Westwood (1889: 17) included Mantis alticeps Schaum, 1853 (pg. 113) within Dystacta (it should be noted that the date of Schaum’s description of Mantis alticeps is incorrect in Otte and Spearman (2005) as they list it as 1852). Kirby (1904: 226) later synonymized Dystacta paradoxa Saussure, 1871, with Mantis alticeps Schaum, 1853. Four more species were subsequently described, three were eventually synonymized with Mantis alticeps by Beier (1935: Polyspilota marmorata Schulthess, 1899 and Dystacta stali Karny, 1908) and Kaltenbach (1996: Paracilnia ornatipennis Beier, 1935). The fourth, Dystacta braueri Karney, 1908, was removed from Dystacta and fixed as the type species of a new genus, Pseudodystacta , erected by Kaltenbach (1996). Therefore, Dystacta has always effectively been monotypic until now. The genus and included species, particularly Dystacta alticeps , have been included in various taxonomic works and checklists throughout the 1900's.

Redescription.

Male.Body: Ochre to dark brown with black markings; head lacking projections, the antennae simple; the pronotum almost spade-like with a strong supra-coxal dilation; the wings smoky grey or brown, extending beyond the abdomen; the meso- and metathoracic legs of a similar length; the abdomen tubular.

Head: Transverse, eyes slightly exophthalmic; the vertex rounded or slightly rounded, the parietal sutures present. Juxta-ocular protuberances absent. Ocelli large, protruding from small cuticular mounds, but the region between all three slightly raised with a triangular shape; the lateral ocelli oriented outward; the region around the raised ocelli and below the frontal suture depressed. The clypeus transverse, the upper margin convex; the lower margin slightly concave. Labrum rounded. The flagellomeres of the antennae mostly pale in the basal half, transitioning to a darker coloration on the distal end of the antennae. Anterior surface of head mostly pale or ochre with dark speckling across the surface; frons ochre with dark splotches of black, a transverse black band just below the antennae extends laterally across the anterior surface of the eyes; the clypeus ochre with dark markings; labrum ochre, occasionally with darker markings; mandibles ochre; vertex ochre with dark splotches or banding; maxillary palpi ochre with a darkened terminal segment.

Thorax: Longer than wide, with an expanded supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface smooth. Medial region of prozone peaked, sloping to the anterior margins; medium length with margins gradually tapering anteriorly to a rounded anterior margin; the margins smooth, but with setae present. Metazone with two tubercles positioned on each side of the medial line just anterior to the posterior margin, a raised carina oriented anterolaterally, extending to the lateral margins of the metazone. Metazone with concave lateral margins tapering posteriorly until two thirds from the supra-coxal bulge, then widening to the posterior margin; margins smooth, but with setae present; the dorsal surface of the metazone not depressed. Ochre with faint black markings. Prosternum with or without a complex black and whitish pattern (Fig. 2); if present, a transverse black band anteriorly and a curved black band posteriorly, the posterior half of the medial region whitish colored, the anterior half with a trapezoidal shape of brown surrounded by a thin black band, the trapezoid reaching the lateral margins. The wings elongate, extending well beyond the terminus of the abdomen. Forewings opaque; setae along the anterior margin, the costal region densely ciliated, the discoidal region ciliated or not; the discoidal region smoky brown or grey with dark splotches; the veins more pigmented than surrounding cell colors; the medial and cubital veins are divergent and widely spread. Hindwings with setae along anterior margin; mostly matching coloration of forewing; the wings extending beyond the abdomen.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur shape normal with a straight dorsal margin; spines robust, pale proximally and black distally; femoral groove to accommodate the tibial spur in the proximal half; the posterior surface smooth; 4 discoidal spines. Posterior surface of femur ochre with black stippling; setae dispersed across a pale ventral surface. The discoidal spines robust, the third from the base very large and robust, twice the length of the second and fourth. Anteroventral femoral spines alternating between short and long, the longer spines of similar length and the shorter spines of similar length; posteroventral femoral spines all of the same length; the posterior and anterior genicular spines small, but robust. Tibia with sparse or dense setae along the dorsal margin and on the posterior, anterior and ventral surfaces; anterior and posterior surfaces ochre with darker markings. Posteroventral tibial spines of similar length, except for the most distal spine being larger than the others; anteroventral tibial spines gradually increase in length from the most proximal to the most distal spine. Forecoxae mostly smooth with setae interspersed throughout, a few tubercles present along the margins, but none are robust as seen in females.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Femora with ventral (posterior) carina well developed; dorsal (anterior) carina absent; surface with numerous small, fine setae; darkly speckled with black markings. Coxae with numerous black markings speckling the surface. Tibia round, covered with setae. Tarsi with ample setae.

Abdomen: Smooth, tubular with brownish to black coloration; the surface with numerous setae across the surface. Tergites rounded at the postero-lateral margins. Supra-anal plate transverse, with a rounded terminus. Cerci with ample setae, round, tapering to a point.

Female.Body: Medium; ochre to dark brown with black markings; a highly convex head; the pronotum almost spade-like with strong supra-coxal dilation; the wings reduced or absent; the meso- and metathoracic legs of a similar length; the abdomen broad and elliptical.

Head: Transverse, eyes not particularly exophthalmic; vertex highly convex, the parietal sutures present; juxta-ocular protuberances absent. Frontal suture faint, but forming dorsally oriented curve. Ocelli absent or vestigial, but lenses not visible; a carina connecting former ocellar locations that connects all three and forms a U; region within the U and below the frontal suture depressed. Frons transverse with an angled carina below the antennae, meeting medially with a raised point. Clypeus transverse, the upper margin convex, the lateral margins tapering to a rounded distal terminus; surface with a medial, transverse carina. Labrum rounded with a darkened distal terminus. Antennal flagellomeres pale basally and fading to black toward the distal end; setae present. Anterior surface of head mostly pale or ochre with tiny dark speckling across the surface; labial palpi ochre, maxillary palpi ochre, sometimes with black markings.

Thorax: Longer than wide, with an expanded supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface with uneven tiny depressions and scattered black tubercles. Prozone with medial region of prozone peaked, sloping to the lateral margins. Metazone with uneven sculpting across the surface. Margins of the prozone convex, tapering sharply to a narrowed, rounded anterior margin; margins of metazone strongly convex, tapering to a narrow constriction medially before widening to the posterior margin. Tubercles present on the margins of the prozone; a few large tubercles present on the margins of the metazone. The supra-coxal sulcus strongly defined and sweeping anteriorly prior to the expanded lateral margins at the supra-coxal bulge. Prosternum with or without a complex black and whitish pattern (Fig. 2); if present, a transverse black band anteriorly and a curved black band posteriorly, the posterior half of the medial region whitish colored, the anterior half with a trapezoidal shape of brown surrounded by a thin black band, the trapezoid reaching the lateral margins. Wings reduced or absent.

Prothoracic Legs: The femur squat, almost forming a triangle; spines robust, pale proximally and black distally; femoral groove to accommodate the tibial spur proximal to the middle. The posterior surface of the femur with a marginal carina; dorsal margin narrowing; the posterior surface with numerous small tubercles; 4 discoidal spines. The ventral surface of the femur pale with numerous tubercles medially distal to the discoidal spines, the tubercles continue just proximal to the discoidal spines until the junction with the trochanter; the discoidal spines robust, the third from the base very large and robust. The anterior surface of the femur mostly pale with some black marking. Tibia robust with rare, fine setae on the surface and near the lateral margins of the ventral surface; posterior surface pale with some black markings; ventral surface ochre and lustrous; posteroventral and anteroventral tibial spines gradually becoming longer from the proximal to the distal end. Coxae with tubercles and setae across the surface, the dorsal margin with setae and a few strong tubercles; the anterior surface mostly ochre with some black markings, the distal lobes ochre.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Femora with ventral (posterior) carina well developed; dorsal (anterior) carina absent; surface with numerous small, fine setae. Coxae with numerous black markings speckling the surface. Tibia round, covered with setae. Tarsi short with ample setae.

Abdomen: Very broad, elliptical, the widest being the middle. Fine setae disperse across the dorsal and ventral surfaces; each tergite with a medial keel, more pronounced anteriorly. Tergites rounded at the posterolateral margins. Supra-anal plate transverse, with a rounded terminus. The ovipositor enlarged and broad, projecting far beyond the distal margin of the supra-anal plate and the cerci. Cerci round, tapering to a point.

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