TARACHODIDAE Giglio-Tos, 1917

Tedrow, Riley, Nathan, Kabanguka, Richard, Nasasira & Svenson, Gavin J., 2015, A survey of the praying mantises of Rwanda, including new records (Insecta, Mantodea), Zootaxa 4027 (1), pp. 67-100 : 75

TARACHODIDAE Giglio-Tos, 1917

Galepsus sp.1 ( Figs 2 F, 9A)

Sampling. NNP.3—Four males (GSMC004684, GSMC004686, GSMC004688, GSMC4691). NNP.4—Four males (GSMC004679–80, GSMC004687, GSMC4690).

Distribution. Species within the genus Galepsus range across the African continent.

Comments. The species Galepsus fallax ( La Greca, 1955) is previously recorded in Rwanda, but as we were unable to make a species level determination on these specimens, they will be referred to as Galepsus sp.

Galepsus sp.2 ( Figs 2 G, 9B–C)

Sampling. NNP.3—Two males (GSMC004682–3) and four females (GSMC004380, GSMC004599, GSMC004677–8).

Galepsus sp.3 ( Fig. 9 D)

Sampling. ANP.1—One male (GSMC004685).

Galepsus sp.4 ( Fig. 10 A)

Sampling. ANP.1—One male (GSMC004689).

Galepsus sp. (nymphs)

Sampling. ANP.1—Three nymphs (GSMC004906–8). ANP.2—15 nymphs (GSMC004380, GSMC004945– 57, GSMC004599).

Pyrgomantis nana Sjöstedt, 1924 ( Figs 3 I, 8C–D)

Sampling. ANP.1—One female (GSMC004574) and 14 nymphs (GSMC004892-905). ANP.2—Eight males (GSMC00437–9, GSMC004333–4, GSMC004577–9), seven females (GSMC004324, GSMC004322, GSMC004328, GSMC004336, GSMC004338, GSMC004575–6), and 64 nymphs (GSMC004325, GSMC004344, GSMC004416, GSMC004580–1, GSMC004878–98, GSMC4909–45, GSMC005010).

Distribution. Species within the genus Pyrgomantis range across the African continent. Pyrgomantis nana is previously recorded in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.

Comments. While identification of this species is certain based on genital dissections, revisionary work for the genus is needed as most species do not have their male genitalia described.

Oxyelaea elegans Giglio-Tos, 1917 ( Figs 2 A–B, 7B–D)

Sampling. ANP.3—Three males (GSMC004692–3, GSMC005129), two females (GSMC004694, GSMC005121), and 16 nymphs (GSMC004834–49)

Distribution. Species within the genus Oxyelaea have been recorded in Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, and Uganda, but O. elegans is the first species within the genus recorded in Rwanda. Oxyelaea elegans is previously recorded in Congo and Tanzania.

Observations. Males from NNP ( Fig. 7 B) were found to have slight differences in coloration from those in ANP ( Fig. 7 C).

Tarachodes sanctus ( Saussure, 1871) ( Figs 2 C–E, 8A–B)

Sampling. ANP.1—Two males (GSMC004596, GSMC004598) and two nymphs (GSMC004600-1). ANP.2— Two males (GSMC004690–1) and four nymphs (GSMC004585, GSMC004594, GSMC004602, GSMC004958). ANP.3—Three males (GSMC004692–4) and one female (GSMC004877).

Distribution. Species within the genus Tarachodes range across the African continent, but T. sanctus is the first species within the genus recorded in Rwanda. Tarachodes sanctus is previously recorded in Congo, Mozambique, Natal, Somalia, Tanzania, Transvaal, Zululand, and Zimbabwe.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Live habitus. A – B, Oxyelaea elegans (A, male from NNP; B female from ANP); C – E, Tarachodes sanctus (C, male from ANP; D, female from ANP; E, female from ANP); F, Galepsus sp. 1 (male) from NNP; G, Galepsus sp. 2 (female) from ANP; H – I, Dystacta tigrifrutex (H, male from NNP; I, female from NNP).

FIGURE 3. Live habitus. A, Hoplocorypha lacualis (male) from ANP; B, Idolomorpha dentifrons (male) from ANP; C – D, Entella rukwaensis (C, male from ANP; D, female from ANP); E – F, Gonypetella fuscipes (E, male from ANP; F, female from ANP); G, Hapalomantis minima (female) from ANP; H, Negromantis gracillima (male) from ANP; I, Pyrgomantis nana (female) from ANP.

FIGURE 7. Dorsal habitus of voucher specimens. A, Oxypilus meruensis (male) from NNP (CMNH—GSMC 004700); B – D, Oxyelaea elegans (B, male from NNP [CMNH—GSMC 004693]; C, male from ANP [CMNH—GSMC 004692]; D, female from ANP [CMNH—GSMC 004694]). Scale bar = 10 mm.

FIGURE 9. Dorsal habitus of voucher specimens. A, Galepsus sp. 1 (male) from NNP (CMNH—GSMC 004690); A – B, Galepsus sp. 2 (B, male from NNP [CMNH—GSMC 004682]; C, female from NNP [CMNH—GSMC 004677]); D male Galepsus sp. 3 from ANP [CMNH—GSMC 004685]. Scale bar = 10 mm.

FIGURE 10. Dorsal habitus of voucher specimens. A, Galepsus sp. 4 (male) from ANP [CMNH—GSMC 004689]; B, Theopompella cf. westwoodi (male) from NNP [CMNH—GSMC 004473]; C – D, Amorphoscelis pulchella (C, male from ANP [CMNH—GSMC 004741]; D, female from ANP [CMNH—GSMC 004740]). Scale bar = 10 mm.