Ciulfina herbersteinae Holwell

Holwell, Gregory I., 2014, Four new species of Ciulfina Giglio-Tos, 1915 (Mantodea: Liturgusidae, Liturgusinae) from the Northern Territory, Australia, Zootaxa 3797 (1), pp. 29-38 : 33-34

Ciulfina herbersteinae Holwell sp. nov.

Type material. AUSTRALIA: Holotype and four paratypes (all males): Keep River National Park, Northern Territory 15°50’S 129°06’E, 16.ix.2007 (G. Holwell, J. O’Hanlon, D. Rao & A. Harmer).

Diagnosis. The distinguishing male genital features of C. herbersteinae is the secondary process arising from the anterior apex of the processo distale (pda), possessing a cluster of sclerotized teeth. Also useful for diagnosis are the sharp and narrow apofisi falloide (afa) and rather blunt apex to the fallomero dorsale di destra. All type material exhibited dextral genital orientation.

Description of genitalia

Right phallomere: general shape typical of genus; first sclerite (R1) thumb-shaped, deeply pouched, oriented posteriorly and attached to ventral phallomere by long arm of uniform width with slightly flanged apex; medial apex of fallomero dorsale di destra (fda) heavily sclerotized, somewhat blunt, and possessing short peg-like projections along inner apical edge; ventral wall of R1 bears sclerotized groove formed between the piastra ventrale (pia) and processo ventral sclerificata (pva), which is heavily sclerotized, slightly curved and tapering and bearing a toothed internal ridge; third sclerite (R3) typically spoon-shaped.

Left complex: general shape typical of genus; apofisi falloide (afa) small, thin, sclerotized and conical, tapering gradually to a sharp apex; processo apicale (paa) slender and slightly sinuate, gradually tapering apically, apex slightly bulbous and moderately sclerotized, process projects away from right phallomere parallel to base of left sclerite L4A, and beyond pubescent membrane of left sclerite L4B; pubescent membrane of L4B deeply curved, and rounded without distinct tip; left sclerite L4B moderately sclerotized distally with square projection between pubescent membrane and base of paa; ventral plate of left sclerite L4A typical; anterio-lateral edge of processo distale (pda) forming secondary process, bearing four heavily sclerotized teeth; one broad posterior tooth pointing laterally, one long anterior tooth pointing anteriorly and two smaller teeth extending anteriorly from base of anterior tooth; posterior edge of pda unmodified and slightly curved forming approximate right angle.

Etymology. Named after Marie Elisabeth Herberstein, for her contribution to our understanding of the biology and natural history of Australian invertebrates.