ACANTHOPINAE BURMEISTER, 1838

Moulin, Nicolas & Schwarz, Christian J., 2023, Two new genera of Acanthopidae (Mantodea) from the Amazon region, with description of a new species, Zoosystema 45 (5), pp. 137-161 : 156-157

KEY TO THE GENERA OF ACANTHOPINAE BURMEISTER, 1838 (ADAPTED FROM RIVERA & SVENSON 2020)

Male

1. Post-ocellar area of vertex with a distinct rectangular projection bearing tubercles .......................................... ....................................................................................................................... Pseudacanthops Saussure, 1870

— Post-ocellar area with at most a short projection, smooth, or only with few, scattered granulations .............. 2

2. Cerci with distal cercomere conical, not bilobed .......................................................................................... 3

— Cerci with distal cercomere flattened, normally with a well-defined central notch ....................................... 5

3. Forewings with costal area broad, costal vein evenly curved ......................................................................... 4

— Forewings with costal area relatively broad, costal vein bi-sinuous ......................... Lagrecacanthops Roy, 2004

4. Compound eyes conical, vertex flat. Prothoracic femora usually with 7 posteroventral spines. Forewings greenish or yellowish with brown spots; if brown, then forelegs always with 7 posteroventral spines and hindwings smoky ................................................................................................................................ Metilia Stal, 1877

— Compound eyes ovoid, vertex convex. Prothoracic femora usually with 6 posteroventral spines. Forewings entirely brownish, hindwings always hyaline except apex ...... Metacanthops Agudelo, Maldaner & Rafael, 2019

5. Costal area of forewings only slightly broadened proximally, costal vein describing a moderated undulation .... ................................................................................................................................ Decimiana Uvarov, 1940

— Costal area of forewings much wider proximally, costal vein describing a broad, proximal undulation, sometimes followed by secondary but smaller preapical one ......................................................................................... 6

6. Forewings without apical lobe. Proximal section of costal area broadly curved, but lacking a preapical sinuosity .. 7

— Forewings with apical, rounded lobe; proximal section of costal area broadly curved, followed by a small, preapical sinuosity ................................................................................................................................................ 9

7. Costal field not distinctly sinuate, gradually tapering towards apex. Loa without elongate setae on anterior lobe. Anterior femora usually with 6 (rarely 7) posteroventral spines ..................................................................... 8

— Costal field distinctly sinuate, reaching radial vein at apical fourth of wing. Loa with elongate setae on anterior lobe. Anterior femora with 7 posteroventral spines .......................................... Plesiacanthops Chopard, 1913

8. Vertex tuberculate but without process; ocular tubercle at dorsolateral margin of eye. Lateral expansion along metazona well developed. Hindwings elongate, distinctly surpassing forewings, with truncate apex. Last segment of cerci distinctly widened or elongate ...................................................................... Miracanthops Roy, 2004

— Vertex with a short quadricuspidate process; ocular tubercle medial of dorsolateral margin of eye. Lateral expansion along metazona indistinct. Hindwings only slightly surpassing forewings, with triangular apex. Last segment of cerci small, only slightly widened, indentation shallow ................ Parvacanthops Schwarz & Moulin , n. gen.

9. Pronotum short, metazona less than 3 times as long as prozona. Conspicuous apical lobes on both pairs of wings ........................................................................................................................ Acanthops Serville, 1831

— Pronotum elongate, metazona at least 3 times as long as prozona. Forewings with very reduced apical lobe and hindwings with a well-developed lobe, followed by two small lobes on the discoidal area ... Royacanthops n. gen.

Females (females of Lagrecacanthops Roy, 2004 and Parvacanthops Schwarz & Moulin , n. gen. unknown)

1. Post-ocellar area of vertex with a rectangular projection bearing tubercles ....... Pseudacanthops Saussure, 1870

— Post-ocellar area without projections, smooth, or only with few, scattered granulations ............................... 2

2. Cerci with distal cercomere conical, not bilobed .......................................................................................... 3

— Cerci with distal cercomere flattened, normally with a well-defined central notch ....................................... 4

3. Compound eyes conical, vertex flat. Pronotum smooth ...................................................... Metilia Stal, 1877

— Compound eyes ovoid, vertex convex. Pronotum tuberculate ......................................................................... .......................................................................................... Metacanthops Agudelo, Maldaner & Rafael, 2019

4. Pronotum elongate, metazona at least 2.7 times as long as prozona. Meso- and metathoracic femora each with both genicular lobes more or less elongated and triangular; prothoracic femora with 6-7 posteroventral spines ......... 5

— Metazona less than 2.3 times as long as prozona. Meso- and metathoracic femora each with genicular lobes rounded or triangular, but not elongate; prothoracic femora with 6 posteroventral spines ........................... 7 5. Margin of metazona with spaced out, large teeth. Genicular lobes only slightly elongate. Subapical lobe on female forewing large, triangular. Abdomen ovoid, tergites with remarkably large foliaceous lobes ................. ....................................................................................................................................... Royacanthops n. gen.

— Margin of metazona with numerous teeth. Genicular lobes distinctly elongate. Subapical lobe on female forewing narrow, flat-angled. Abdomen fusiform, tergites with smaller lobes ..................................................... 6

6. Juxtaocular bulges small, vertex distinctly convex. Female forewing not extremely elongate, only moderately surpassing hindwings ....................................................................................... Plesiacanthops Chopard, 1913

— Juxtaocular bulges large, vertex less convex. Female forewing extremely elongate, more than twice as long as hindwing .................................................................................................................. Miracanthops Roy, 2004

7. Forewings with costal margin only slightly bisinuous. Apical lobe short and digitiform .................................. ................................................................................................................................ Decimiana Uvarov, 1940

— Forewings with costal margin distinctly bisinuous. Apical lobe long and distinctly curved, if short, then with widened apex ........................................................................................................... Acanthops Serville, 1831