Otomantis centralis Lombardo & Stiewe, 2014

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 : 189-190

Otomantis centralis Lombardo & Stiewe sp. n.

( Figs 9B, G ; 10B, F, L, N ; 11B ; 12C–D, M ; 13 )

Type specimens. Holotype 1♂, D. R. CONGO: Nyangwe , 15/ 30-III-1918, (leg. R. Maynè) ( MDAB) ; Paratypes D. R. CONGO: 1 ♀ Sankuru, Gandajika, 1954 (P. de Francquen) ( MABC); REP. POP . CONGO: 1♂ M`be, J.F. Cornic, 3.II.1973, Stiewe genitalia prep. Ot.C. 01, ( MNHN) . CONGO: 5 ♂ Djoumouna, C. Morin, 16.05.73; 13.03.75; 29.10.75, Roy genitalia prep. 2352; 28.02.76; 25.09.76; ( MNHN); Voka, C. Morin , 10.04.74, 1♀ ( MNHN) ; ANGOLA: Centro Entomologico Salazar [N'dalatando], Hosp. Desc., Collected by Ventura, 8.10.72, E 26596, 1♀, ( IICT)-(ex collection Huambo, Angola ( IIA); Centro Entomologico Salazar [N'dalatando], Hosp. Desc., collected by Ventura, 14.10.72, E 26894 , Roy genitalia prep. 2284, 1 ♂, ( IICT)-(ex collection Huambo, Angola ( IIA)

Diagnosis. Similar to O. capirica , from which it can be distinguished by the male having a stockier prozone and a phalloid apophysis with more divergent apical lobes.

Description male.

General coloration: Body ochre with small dark spots, more numerous on the head and on the pronotum. Maxillar palpi ochre with last two segments darkish inside; mandibles and labial palpi ochre with dark apex. Anterior legs ochre.

Measurements (mm): TL 20.5; HW 4; PL 3.8; ML 2.1; SDW 2.6; MPW 1.4 CL 4.5; FL 5; MFW 2.3; WL 19.5 x 4.5.

Head ( Fig. 9B ): Transverse, 1.5 times wider than pronotal supracoxal dilation; vertex straight, vertical process of vertex short and bifid; juxta-ocular tubercles conical; eyes oval/ovoid, with a short apical spine. Antennae elongated; frontal shield transverse, pentagonal, 2.84 times wider than high, apex with a distinct projected spike.

Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 10B, F ) rhomboidal, 1.52 times longer than wide; prozone elongated, lateral margins with 4–5 dark tubercles, disc with two acute conical tubercles near the supracoxal sulcus. Disc of metazone with a longitudinal median carina; lateral margins of supracoxal dilation forming an obtuse angle.

Forelegs: Coxae about 1.2 times longer than pronotum, anterior margin with a series of small dark granules, each bearing a seta at the apex, internal apical lobes divergent. Femora flattened, 2.17 times longer than wide, dorsal margin toothed, curved and with widest part at the 2/3 from the base ( Fig. 11B ) Spination formula F=4ES/ 11IS/4DS and T =10ES/8IS, all spines of femora and tibiae brown with dark apex.

Meso and metathoracic legs: Femora robust, with distal triangular lobe that is bigger in metafemora and more acuminated in mesofemora. Tibiae shorter than femora, with a triangular, basal lobe.

Wings: Hyaline, exceeding the apex of abdomen. Costal field of mesothoracic wings opaque, discoidal area hyaline, with numerous scattered dark spots. Metathoracic wings semi-hyaline and chestnut colored.

Abdomen: Cylindrical, subgenital plate longer than wide, apex not incised.

External genitalia: Ventral phallomere ovoid ( Fig. 12M ), slightly longer than wide and with a lobe-like distal process (dp) with a large auriculated lamina on its right side and outer margin sinuous. Left phallomere with elongated dorsal lamina (dl) ( Fig.12D ), slightly widened at the base and gradually narrowing towards the apex; ventral lamina ( Fig. 12C , vl) more or less square, with a long arm on the anterior margin. Phalloid apophysis (af) well developed, with two divergent apical processes of which the anterior is considerably more developed.

Female description.

General coloration: Body ochre, with numerous small dark spots. Antennae with scape, pedicel and proximal 1/3 of flagellum ochre, remaining parts dark. Internal surface of coxae and femora black; external spines ochre with dark apex, internal spines dark. Mesothoracic wings opaque and ochre, with numerous small, chestnut colored spots; metathoracic wings semi hyaline and chestnut colored.

Measurements (mm): Tl 21; HW 4.8; PL 5.1; ML 2.6; SDW 3.7; MPW 1.8; CL 5.1; FL 6.8; MFW 1.8; WL 17.

Head ( Fig. 9G ): Transverse, 1.29 times wider than pronotal supracoxal dilation; vertical process of vertex small and bifid; juxta-ocular tubercles conical and robust, with acuminated apex; frontal shield transverse, with a small spike on upper margin.

Thorax: Pronotum ( Fig. 10L, N ) similar to male but more robust, 1.37 times longer than wide.

Forelegs: Coxae robust; anterior margin with 5–6 minute dark tubercles, internal surface scattered with dark spots, internal lobes divergent. Femora 3.7 times longer than wide, dorsal margin with a series of small granules. Spination formula F=4ES/11IS/4 DS and T =12ES/10IS.

Meso and metathoracic legs: Femora with distal triangular lobes with rounded apex, lateral margin broadened.

Wings: Mesothoracic wings opaque brown, with numerous dark patches differing in size, costal area with numerous brown cross-veins. Metathoracic wings semi-hyaline and auburn colored, longitudinal veins on discoidal area dark brown.

Abdomen: Enlarged; supra-anal plate triangular in shape with rounded apex.

Distribution. This species occurs in the eastern Congo and northern Angola ( Fig. 13 ).

Etymology. The new species is named after the distribution area Central Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Head of: A, F, (♂ and ♀), O. capirica; B, G, (♂ and ♀), O. centralis sp. n.; C (♂), O. trimacula sp. n.; D (♂), O. gracilis sp. n., Scale = 1mm.

FIGURE 10. Pronotum of: O. capirica A, E (♂), I, M (♀), in dorsal and lateral view; O. centralis sp. n. B, F (♂), L, N (♀), in dorsal and lateral view; O. trimacula sp. n. C, G (♂) in dorsal and lateral view; O. gracilis sp. n. D, H (♂) in dorsal and lateral view. Scale = 1mm.

FIGURE 11. Inner surface of fore femur of: A, O. capirica; B, O. centralis sp. n.; C, O. trimacula sp. n.; D, O. gracilis sp. n.. Scale = 1mm.

FIGURE 12. External genitalia of: A, B (left phallomere, ventral and dorsal views), L (ventral phallomere, dorsal view), O. capirica (holotype); C, D (left phallomere, ventral and dorsal views), M (ventral phallomere in dorsal view), O. centralis sp. n. (holotype); E, F (left phallomere, ventral and dorsal views), N (ventral phallomere in dorsal view), O. trimacula sp. n. (holotype); G, H (left phallomere, ventral and dorsal views), O (ventral phallomere in dorsal view), O. gracilis sp. n. (holotype). Scale = 500 µm.

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”).