Otomantis aurita ( Saussure & Zehntner, 1895 )

Lombardo, Francesco, Stiewe, Martin B. D., Ippolito, Salvatrice & Marletta, Alessandro, 2014, A taxonomic revision of Otomantis Bolivar, 1890 (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae, Acromantinae) with description of five new species, Zootaxa 3797 (1), pp. 169-193 : 173-176

Otomantis aurita ( Saussure & Zehntner, 1895)

( Figs 2B, H ; 3B, I; 4B; 5B; 7B; 13)

Acanthomantis aurita Saussure & Zehntner, 1895: 213–215 Tav. 10 (original description)

Otomantis aurita ; Kirby (1904: 297); Giglio-Tos (1927: 549) (partim: Madagascar); Beier (1934:18) (partim: Madagascar); Paulian (1957: 90); Ehrmann (2002: 249) (partim: Madagascar); Otte & Spearman (2005: 82)

Type material. Holotype of Otomantis aurita 1♀ from MADAGASCAR, Grandidier ( MNHN).

Other material. MADAGASCAR: Boeny , Maevatanana 2♂, Dr J. Cecorse, Déc. 1899 ( MNHN) (Stiewe genitalia prep. Ot.M. 01); Morondava 1♂, G. Grandidier, 1899, ( MNHN) (Roy genitalia prep. 4432); env. De Mahabo, 1♀, 28.4.98, Grandidier ( MNHN); S.S.W. forêt Morondava 2 ♀ 18.VII.1973, Descamps & Wintrebert ( MNHN); Nossi-Bé, 2♀, coll. Lucien Chopard ( MNHN) .

Diagnosis. This species was described in detail by Saussure & Zehntner (1895) and it is the only species of Otomantis known from Madagascar. It differs from all other known species in having the vertical process of the vertex conspicuously long in both sexes. Another unique feature of this species is the very short hook-like distal process of the ventral phallomere.

Female re-description.

General coloration: Body brown. Antennae pale ochre. Prosternum ochre. Internal surface of coxae brown with some small blackish spots. Inner surface of forefemora conspicuously colored, the flattened part ventrally black with two, yellowish, diagonal bands that are barely visible on the external surface; all internal and external spines ochre with dark apex. Meso and metathoracic legs with some fairly broad black stripes. Abdominal segments brown, subgenital-plate with caudal beige patch.

Measurements (mm): TL 21.5; HW 5.2; PL 5.5; SDW 3.4; ML 2.6; MPW 2.0; CL 5.4; FL 6.5; MFW 3.0; WL 15.3.

Head ( Fig. 2H ): Transverse, 1.61 times longer than wide; vertex straight, vertical process of vertex long, tip rounded, juxta-ocular tubercles conical; frontal shield transverse, with small tubercle on upper margin; eyes ovalshaped with a long apical spine.

Pronotum ( Fig. 4B ): Rhomboidal, 1.6 times longer than wide; prozone stout and arched, disc with two subtle flattened bumps; metazone longer than prozone, with a longitudinal median carina, lateral margins with some black tubercles; lateral margins of supracoxal dilation forming an obtuse angle.

Forelegs: Coxae robust, about as long as pronotum, anterior margin with 11 small black tubercles, internal surface scattered with dark spots, internal lobes divergent. Femora 2.17 times longer than wide, proximal part of dorsal margin up to MFW dentate, some small spines between the external spines, well-developed genicular spine. Spination formula F=4ES/11IS/4DS and T =9ES/8–9IS.

Meso and metathoracic legs: Femora with distal triangular-shaped lobes with rounded apex, of nearly same size in meso and metafemora, lateral margin broadened.

Wings: Mesothoracic wings opaque brown with numerous dark patches of different sizes, costal area with numerous brown cross-veins. Metathoracic wings semi-hyaline and auburn colored, discoidal area with dark brown longitudinal veins.

Abdomen: Robust, much wider than in male.

Male description.

General coloration: Body ochre. Head and antennae ochre, vertex with numerous small black spots. Wings auburn colored, legs with some inconspicuous blackish bands and numerous dark spots. Abdomen auburn dorsally, ochre ventrally.

Measurements (mm): TL 14.4; HW 4.38; PL 4.2; MPW 1.5; SDW 2.7; CL 4.3; FL 5.4; MFW 2.5; WL 13.4.

Head ( Fig. 2B ): Transverse, 1.6 times wider than pronotal supracoxal dilation; vertex slightly arched, vertical process of vertex conspicuously long with rounded apex, black dorsally, 1.7 times higher than wide; juxta-ocular tubercles conical, black with ochre apex; eyes oval-shaped with a long distinct apical spine; frontal shield transverse, pentagonal, about 3.1 times wider than high, apex with a short forwardly projected spike ( Fig. 2B ).

Pronotum ( Figs. 3B, I ): Rhomboidal, 1.8 times longer than wide; prozone slightly shorter than metazone, disc with two flattened median tubercles, lateral margin with six dark small tubercles on each side; metazone with a longitudinal median carina, lateral margin with some small, dark tubercles.

Forelegs: Coxae about 1.0 times longer than pronotum, anterior margin grained and with some fine hairs, internal apical lobes divergent. Femora flattened, 2.16 times longer than wide, dorsal margin curved with widest part 2/3 from base ( Fig. 5B ), toothed dorsal margin, well developed genicular spine. Spination formula F= 4ES/ 11IS/4DS and T =11ES/9IS, all spines of femora and of tibiae auburn.

Meso and metathoracic legs: Femora robust, distal triangular lobe bigger and with rounded apex, on mesofemora this apex is more acuminated; tibiae shorter than femora, with a basal and a medial swelling.

Wings: Exceeding the apex of abdomen. Mesothoracic wings ovoid, about 3.8 times longer than maximum width, auburn with some dark spots. Metathoracic wings smoky auburn, longitudinal veins dark brown.

Abdomen: Cylindrical; supra-anal plate triangular in shape and with rounded apex; subgenital plate as long as wide, border between the two small styli straight.

External genitalia ( Fig. 7B ): Ventral phallomere much longer than wide with a well sclerotized, very short and hook-like distal process (dp). Left phallomere’s dorsal lamina (dl) with well sclerotized anterior part, enlarged and membranous in its posterior part; ventral lamina sclerotized (vl), apical process (ap) short and robust, with round apex; both laminas forming a very long conspicuous lateral process (lp); phalloid apophysis (af) enlarged, sclerotized and its surface rugose, with lateral small bump. Right phallomere with well-developed apophysis, left movable part elongated, distal margin of right phallomere with field of fine long hairs.

Distribution. This species is endemic to Madagascar ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Head of: A (♂), G (♀), O. scutigera; B (♂), H (♀), O. aurita; C (♂), I (♀), O. rendalli; D (♂), L (♀), O. casaica; E (♂), M (♀), O. bolivari sp. n.; F (♂), O. minima sp. n., Scale = 1mm.

FIGURE 3. Male pronotum of: A (dorsal view), G (lateral view), O. scutigera; B (dorsal view), I (lateral view), O. aurita; C (dorsal view), O. rendalli; D (dorsal view), H (lateral view), O. casaica; E (dorsal view), L (lateral view), O. bolivari sp. n.; F (dorsal view) O. minima sp. n., Scale = 1mm.

FIGURE 4. Female pronotum of: A, O. scutigera; B, O. aurita; C, O. rendalli; D (dorsal view), F (lateral view), O. casaica; E (dorsal view), G (lateral view), O. bolivari sp. n., Scale = 1mm.

FIGURE 5. Inner surface of fore femur (males): A, O. scutigera; B, O. aurita; C, O. rendalli; D, O. casaica; E, O. minima sp. n.; F, O. bolivari sp. n., Scale = 1mm.

FIGURE 7. External genitalia of (all phallomeres in ventral view): A, O. rendalli (holotype,); B, O. aurita (holotype, ventral view); C, O. minima sp. n. (holotype, left phallomere ventral view, remaining phallomeres dorsal view).

FIGURE 13. Geographic distribution of Otomantis spp. in Southern Africa and Madagascar: black circle= O casaica; black square= O. bolivari sp. n.; black triangle= O. rendalli; black diamond= O. scutigera; black shape star= O. aurita; open triangle= O. capirica; open square= O. centralis sp. n.; open circle= O. gracilis sp. n.; open diamond= O. trimacula sp. n. (note: question mark refers to the distribution of O. minima sp. n., known only from “South Africa”).