Pseudacanthops Saussure, 1870

Lombardo, Francesco, Ippolito, Salvatrice & Rivera, Julio, 2013, Synopsis of the Neotropical mantid genus Pseudacanthops Saussure, 1870, with the description of three new species (Mantodea: Acanthopidae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 120 (3), pp. 373-403 : 375-376

Genus Pseudacanthops Saussure, 1870

Pseudacanthops Saussure, 1870: 243 ; type species: Hymenopus caelebs Saussure, 1869 . Paracanthops Saussure, 1870: 243.

Pseudocanthops Kirby, 1904: 283, Chopard, 1912: 335.

DIAGNOSIS: Pseudacanthops is related to Acanthops Serville, 1831 but can be separated from it by the presence of an elevated squarish process on the fastigium of vertex (Figs 2-7).

DESCRIPTION: Male and female morphologically show a marked sexual dimorphism as concerns the wings shape (Figs 46-47, 62-63).

Colouration: chestnut, dark to light brown or ochre, females can also be green when alive; abdomen exhibiting large, shiny black areas on tergites.

Body length: 35-50 mm.

Body texture: Males have a smooth body with very few scattered granulations. Females are completely covered by conspicuous tubercles and granulations of different sizes.

Head: Fastigium of vertex markedly concave and bearing an elevated, squarish process; eyes ovoid with a conical spine; frontal shield bidentate.

Thorax: Pronotum elongated, slender in males and stouter in females; metazone with two brown sub-circular spots on both sides. Fore coxae with one or two spine-like tubercles at their base (more developed in females); internal apical lobes contiguous. Fore femora with proximal lobe on their dorsal margin. Middle and hind legs rather short, markedly hairy in males; femora bearing a proximal lobe ventrally; tibiae thinner on their distal halves, each exhibiting a small swelling near its base and on its middle section, a small lobe is also present at the apex of each tibia; metatarsi shorter than all the other segments together. Male wings: mesothoracic wings with costal margin exhibiting a double sinuosity, costal area with proximal section dilated, tapering towards the tip of the wing until it disappears at about 2/3 of wing length; apical, rounded lobe present; metathoracic wings similar to mesothoracic wings. Female wings: mesothoracic wings reduced in size, opaque and with apex falcated; metathoracic wings small and non functional, yellow in color with brown pigment on cells.

Abdomen: Slightly flattened and exhibiting lateral lobes on 5th and 6th urotergites; last joint of cerci bilobed.

NOTE: Based on article 30.1.4.3 of the ICZN, a genus-group name ending in

- ops is to be treated as masculine.

KEY TO SPECIES (MALES)

1a Pronotum with multiple granulations but without distinct tubercles........ 2

1b Pronotum exhibiting multiple granulations and with two more distinct conical tubercles on metazone below supracoxal sulcus ( Nicaragua, Panama)......................................... P. centralis n. sp.

2a Mesothoracic wing mostly subhyaline, evenly pigmented from dark brown to yellowish brown, sometimes exhibiting scattered, dark spots...... 3

2b Mesothoracic wings colorless and hyaline; distal half and costal area darkly pigmented and opaque ( Peru)................... P. clorindae n. sp.

3a Internal margin of eyes with one or more spine....................... 4

3b Internal margin of eyes without spines ( Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala)............................................ P. caelebs

4a Inner margin of eyes with one tubercle clearly more developed than the others....................................................... 5

4b Inner margin of eyes with similarly-sized tubercles ( Peru, Bolivia, Brazil)................................................ P. lobipes

5a Lateral process of the ventral fallomere exhibiting a sinuous outer margin ( Ecuador).............................. P. huaoranianus n. sp.

5b Lateral process of the ventral fallomere with uniformly curved outer margin ( Guyana, French Guyana, Venezuela)................ P. spinulosus