Majangella moultoni Giglio-Tos, 1915

Svenson, Gavin J. & Vollmer, William, 2014, A case of the higher-level classification of praying mantises (Mantodea) obscuring the synonymy of Majangella Giglio-Tos, 1915 (Liturgusidae, Liturgusinae) and Ephippiomantis Werner, 1922 (Hymenopodidae, Acromantinae), Zootaxa 3797 (1), pp. 103-119 : 109-112

Majangella moultoni Giglio-Tos, 1915

( FIGURES 1A–B ; 2A–B ; 3A–B ; 4A ; 5B, F ; 6 )

Majangella moultoni : GIGLIO- TOS, 1915: 95; GIGLIO- TOS, 1927: 310; BEIER, 1931: 151; BEIER, 1935: 14; EHRMANN, 2002: 213; OTTE & SPEARMAN, 2005: 134; BRAGG, 2010: 24, 30, Figs. 6 , 18, 36.

Holotype: Male deposited in Sarawak Museum ; Type Locality: Sadong, Borneo

Material Examined. 1 ♂ — Borneo, Sabah, Tawau district , Brumas camp, 500–700 ft., 17–31.x.1973, C.J.M. Pruett, B.M. 1974–277, clay, shale and limestone hills. Primary rainforest, genitalia prep. MAJ07 (Locality M. m.1) ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂ — Borneo, Sabah, Tawau , 25 May 1996, genitalia prep. MAJ13 (Locality M. m.2) ( MNHN) ; 1 ♂ — Indonesia, Sumatra, Sumatera Utara Prov., 18 km N. of Prapat , at MV light, 14 Nov.1985, J.D. Weintraub collector, genitalia prep. MAJ01 (Locality M.m.3) ( USNM) ; 1 ♂ — Indonesia, Sumatra, Sumatera Utara Prov., 18 km N. of Prapat, nr. Tigadolok , at MV light, 8 Nov.1985, J.D. Weintraub collector, genitalia prep. MAJ02 (Locality M.m.4) ( USNM) ; 1 ♂ — West Sumatra, Mt. Sanggul, Landai env., 1200-1500m, 30 km N of Payakumbuh, leg. Jakl, 1.2007, Stiewe genitalia prep. No. Ma.Su. (Locality M. m.5) (Stiewe Coll.) ; 1 ♂ — West Malaysia, Cameron Highlands , leg. Wang, 4.XI.1986 (Locality M.m.6) (Stiewe Coll.) ; 1 ♂ — West Malaysia, Cameron Highlands , Sep 2002, Patride Folschveiller, genitalia prep. MAJ08 (Locality M.m.7) ( MNHN) ; 1 ♂ — West Malaysia, Cameron Highlands , genitalia prep. MAJ09 (Locality M. m.8) ( MNHN) . Localities presented in Bragg (2010) : 1 ♂ — Thailand, Phuket. Local collector. v.1996 (Locality M.m.9) (PEB-MI57) ; 1 ♂ — Sabah, Kinabalu N.P., 1580m. Anthony Lamb. April 1982 [ex. c. L. Chan's collection] (Locality M.m.10) (PEB-M228) ; 1 ♂ — Sabah, Crocker Range, Kota Kinabalu-Tambunan road. S. Chew, 26.ix.2006 (Locality M. m.11) (PEB-M345) ; 1 ♂ — Sabah, Danum Valley Conservation Area, Light trap. Ling Kai Lin , 21.v.2009 (Locality M. m.12) ( BORN) .

Diagnosis. The largest of the three species, M. moultoni exhibits a subtle green pigmentation across the wings and body with comparatively paler brown pigment across the body. The process on the vertex is bifid as in M. ophirensis , but longer and more emarginated with both processes appearing more parallel. This species can also be easily distinguished based on the interruption of the black marking on the inner surface of the forefemora, which forms a pale transverse band cutting through the black region about two thirds from the base to the terminus.

Original Description of Majangella moultoni by Giglio-Tos (1915: 95):

“Moultoni n. sp. ♂. Mellea. Processus verticis brevis, apice bifido. Pronoti dentes marginales majors nigri, minors interpositi concolores: discus metazonae maculis duabus nigris inter sulcum et gibbas notatus, alteraque utrinque in medio metazonae: ampliatione lata, angulis acutis. Elytra abdomen longe superantis, submembranacea, albido olivaceo brunneoque marmorata. Alae hyalinae. Coxae anticae spinas 5–6, 3 basalibus fortioribus, armatae, inter spinas spinulis nonnullis minutis; intus apice nigro, nitido, ima basi nigro, signata. Femora antica intus fascia media irregulari transversa nigra sinata, maculaque praeapicali, spinis internis nigris. Long. Corp.mm. 36; long. Pron. 11; metaz. 7,5; lat. Pron.5; long. Elytr.30.”

Translation:

“Moultoni n. sp. ♂. Honey colored. Process of vertex short, apex bifid. Greater marginal denticles of the pronotum are black, the smaller interposed being the same color [as pronotum]: metazonal plate with two black spots between transverse sulcus and conical projections, and one on both sides in the middle of the metazone; lateral expansion [supra-coxal bulge], acute angled. Elytra surpassing the length of the abdomen, semi-translucent, whitish marbled with olive and brown. Hindwings hyaline. Forecoxa with 5–6 spines, 3 basal are most robust, armed, between with a few tiny spines; inner surface of distal apex black, shining, markedly black proximally. Inner surface of the forefemora with an irregular black mark interrupted medially, terminating pre-apically, internal spines black. Body Length 36 mm; length of pronotum 11 mm; metazone 7.5 mm; width of pronotum 5 mm; length of elytra 30 mm.”

Redescription. Male ( Figs. 1A & 1B ). Length measurement from head to tip of abdomen 34–37 mm, of forewings 28–30.5 mm, of pronotum 9.9–10.8 mm, of metazone 6.5–7 mm, of forecoxae 8–9 mm, of forefemora 9.5–11 mm, of metathoracic femora 9–9.5 mm, of metathoracic tibiae 8.5–10 mm, of metathoracic tarsi 7–8 mm, and width of head 6 mm.

Head ( Figs. 2A & 2B ): Process of the vertex bifid and strongly emarginated with the two processes projecting dorsally and appearing nearly parallel; margins either closely parallel and straight or with slight to moderate bulging in some specimens. The two small, symmetrical, conical protuberances located between the parietal sutures and the lateral depressions of the central bulge are small and appear as a dull conical bulge. Clypeus with a moderately defined transverse carina that is mostly defined laterally and nearly absent medially; medial carina moderately defined; lower lip slightly emarginated medially.

Pronotum ( Figs. 3A & 3B ): The two posterior prozonal processes with prominent, large tubercles running up the posterior ridge, which steeply ascends to the forward oriented terminus. Two symmetrically placed conical processes in the anterior portion of the metazone are with prominent tubercles.

Forelegs ( Fig. 4A ): A black marking on the inner surface of the femora interrupted by a pale transverse band cutting through the black region about two-thirds from the base to the terminus. Femora with 13–15 internal spines. Tibiae with 11 external spines and 12–13 internal spines.

Legs: Preapical lobes on femoral carina are distinctly triangular. Carina of metathoracic femora always includes small lobe at the base, which is very small and resembles only slight bulging; may or may not include an additional small lobe medially.

Wings: Forewings mostly hyaline with green and brown pigmentation on veins and in limited cells; costal region opaque greenish-brown; distinct brown mottling in costal and discoidal regions covering multiple cells in broad splotches. Hindwings hyaline and lack the strong brown pigmentation in the distal portion of the costal and discoidal areas of the hindwing seen in the other two species, but if present it is subtle and faint; veins in the costal region are pigmented green.

Abdomen: The posterior margin of sternites with a medial lip that is emarginated, forming two symmetrical, pronounced rounded lobes; the carina running along the midline is pronounced and extending anteriorly.

Male Genitalia ( Figs. 5B–F ): The tip of the pseudophallus sclerotized and terminating with a bulb or simply truncate, rarely with a slight curve to one side.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Majangella, dorsal habitus. M. moultoni Giglio-Tos, 1915: A, male from the Cameron Highlands, West Malaysia (MAJ08); B, male from Tawau, Sabah (MAJ13). M. carli Giglio-Tos, 1915: C, male from Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak (MAJ03); D, male from the Cameron Highlands, West Malaysia (MAJ10); E, purported female specimen deposited in the Zoologische Staatssammlung, München, Germany. M. ophirensis (Werner, 1922): F, male from Trus Madi, Sabah (MAJ11); G, male holotype and labels deposited in the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Histoire, Leiden, Netherlands.

FIGURE 2. Majangella, head. A, dorsal view of M. moultoni Giglio-Tos, 1915, showing the anterior process of the frontal sclerite (MAJ07). Anterior view: B, M. moultoni Giglio-Tos, 1915 (MAJ08); C, M. carli Giglio-Tos, 1915 (MAJ03); D, M. ophirensis (Werner, 1922) (MAJ12).

FIGURE 3. Majangella, pronotum (ventral surface removed in lateral perspective for clarity). M. moultoni Giglio-Tos, 1915 (MAJ07): A, dorsal; B, lateral. M. carli Giglio-Tos, 1915 (MAJ10): C, dorsal; D, lateral. M. ophirensis (Werner, 1922; MAJ12): E, dorsal; F, lateral.

FIGURE 4. Majangella, inner surface of foreleg. A, M. moultoni Giglio-Tos, 1915, from Sumatera Utara Province, Sumatra (MAJ01); B, M. carli Giglio-Tos, 1915, from Cameron Highlands, West Malaysia (MAJ10); C, M. ophirensis (Werner, 1922) from Trus Madi, Sabah (MAJ11).

FIGURE 5. Majangella, illustrations of male genitalia from ventral perspective. A, M. ophirensis (Werner, 1922) preparation MAJ04 from Sarawak, left and right epiphallus and hypophallus. Variation in shape of Pseudophallus: M. moultoni Giglio-Tos, 1915: B, preparation MAJ01 from Sumatra; C, prep. MAJ07 from Sabah; D, prep. MAJ13 from Sabah; E, prep. MAJ08 from West Malaysia; F, prep. MAJ09 from West Malaysia. M. ophirensis (Werner, 1922): G, prep. MAJ11 from Sabah; H, prep. MAJ12 from Sabah; I, prep. MAJ04 from Sarawak. M. carli Giglio-Tos, 1915: J, prep. MAJ03 from Sarawak; K, prep. MAJ05 from Sabah; L, prep. MAJ06 from Sabah; M, prep. MAJ10 from West Malaysia.

FIGURE 6. Distributional map for species of Majangella with each examined specimen’s location provided in the text and on the map with the following symbols. ×– M. moultoni, Θ– M. carli, and *– M. ophirensis. A KML file with all location data viewable with Google Earth is available for download at: http://mantodearesearch.com/Projects/.