Hierodula insperata Unnahachote & Vermeersch, 2023

Unnahachote, Thornthan & Vermeersch, Xavier H. C., 2023, Two new species of giant praying mantises (Mantodea: Mantidae: Hierodulinae: Hierodulini) from Thailand, Belgian Journal of Entomology 139, pp. 1-15 : 9-13

Hierodula insperata Unnahachote & Vermeersch sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:410CD5FD-0295-4AEE-89DD-372F38E6DE4E

( Figs 3 , 4 C−D, 5 D−F, 6, 7)

Type materials. Holotype ♂ and Paratypes (2♂, 1♀): Holotype ♂: Thailand, Surat Thani province, Ta Chana Dist., Pra Song Subdist ., 9˚30ʹ7.40ʺ N, 98˚55ʹ24.43ʺ E, 16.VII.2020, leg. T. Unnahachote. I.G.: 34.635 ( RBINS): Paratypes (2♂): Thailand, Surat Thani province, Ta Chana Dist., Pra Song Subdist., 9˚30ʹ7.40ʺ N, 98˚55ʹ24.43ʺ E, 16.VII.2020, leg. T. Unnahachote. (THNHM-I-00028010, 00028011). Paratype (1♀): Surat Thani province, Pha Nom Dist., Klong Sok Subdist., 10-12.I.2020, leg. T. Unnahachote. (THNHM-I-00028012).

Additional materials (2♂). Thailand, near Khao Sok, 26.IX.2017, leg. W. Hickler (CSC). Thailand, Surat Thani province, attracted to light, 8˚54ʹ 14.25ʺN, 98˚31ʹ 31.29ʺE, leg. N. Hoffmann (CSC).

DIAGNOSIS.

Hierodula insperata sp. nov. can be separated from other species of Hierodula by the following combination of characters:

(1) Black colouration of the inner side of the protarsi.

(2) Morphology of the male genitalia (described from dorsal view): afa strongly sclerotised, aafa small and globular, pafa of medium length, making roughly a 45° angle to the right, with a short pointy thorn on left side of the apex that is angled 90° to the left, tip blunt, nearly flat. Sdpl very short and strongly projecting to the right in a 90° angle.

(3) Modification of the right posterior ridge of Coxosternite IX (subgenital plate) which projects dorsally in a rounded protrusion and is densely covered with very short sclerotised black spinules.

ETYMOLOGY.

The word “insperata ” means “unexpected” in Latin referring to the surprising and unforeseen finding of this large new species despite its size and the relatively good accessibility of the region where it was discovered.

DESCRIPTION.

Male (holotype): ( Figs 3 , 4 C−D, 5 D−F, 6, 7). Ratios (all male type specimens): PL/PW: 3.65−3.94, TgL/TgW (=Tegmen Width): 3.69−4.1, TgL/PL: 2.14−2.23. Measurements see Table 1. Colouration ( Fig 4 C−D): All know specimens feature a uniformly green body colouration with an orange-magenta coloured underside of the thoracic segments. Long and slender pronotum. The inner sides of the raptorial legs are uniformly yellowish-green and brighter than the rest of the body, with some black markings near some of the anteroventral spines.

Head. Triangular, wider than long with large, round compound eyes; vertex flat.Antenna filiform. Ocellar tubercle not elevated; ocelli relatively large. Lower frons transverse, pentagonal in shape, round dorsal margin with two interrupted paramedial carina that form to tubercles near ventral margin. Clypeus smooth with medial ridge. Labrum entirely smooth.

Thorax. Pronotum long and relatively slender, smooth surface, covered by thin layer of whitish waxy secretion on both sides, easily removed. Metazona longer than prozona, ratio MzL/PzL = 3.4−3.7. No lateral dilatation present. Ventral side of metazona with two small depressions near supracoxal sulcus and two indistinct convexities present at middle, close to posterior margin; dorsal posterolateral margins darkened. Prosternum entirely orange-magenta in colouration after the insertion site of the prothoracic legs (very distinct in live specimens), with two small depressions at posterior half; lateral cervical sclerites longer than wide, internal margin concave in the middle, ridged; intercervical sclerites connected to each other, anterior and posterior margins ridged, two ventral cervical sclerites present, uninterrupted.

Prothoracic legs. Coxa uniformely greenish, with eight to nine strong acute spines at anterior margin; posterior margin with small spine-like tubercles; coxal lobes convergent, same colour as coxa, dorsal lobe larger than ventral one. Trochanter black at the apex. Femur with genicular lobe large and round, with small genicular spurs, black apically. Fifteen AvS arranged as follows: iIiIiIiIiIiIiiI, 2 nd, 8 th, 10 th, and 15 th entirely black, other AvS apically infuscated, with a black tip; black patches present at base of 2 nd and 10 th AvS; four DS, 3 rd longest while others somewhat equal in length, 1 st and 3 rd entirely black, others black at tip only, black spot at base of 1 st DS; four PvS, black at tip; genicular lobe round with a strong, very small genicular spur, black at tip; Tibia with 13 AvS, eight to ten PvS; all spines black at tip; anterior side of protarsi entirely black on all segments, first segment longer than remaining segments combined.

Meso-, metathoracic legs. Long and slender, without dilatations or projections; genicular spur present; tibial length shorter than femoral length, two tibial spurs present; metatarsus about as long as remaining metatarsal segments combined; tibial claws simple.

Tegmina and alae. Well developed in both sexes, reaching beyond tip of abdomen. Tegmina with costa finely denticulate, costal area entirely greenish, opaque; discoidal area and anal area hyaline; stigma yellowish, opaque, more or less elongate. Alae with costal area greenish transparent, discoidal area and anal area hyaline.

Abdomen. Uniformly greenish, seven visible coxosternites, widest at the middle of abdomen length; supra-anal plate transverse, posterior margin rounded; cerci cylindrical-shaped, approximately 18 segments, basal segments fused together, with fine hairs on each segment.

Male genitalia. Ventral phallomere of left phallic complex with a single very short, sclerotised and strongly laterally oriented distal process (sdpl). Apical process of left phallomere (paa) broad and flattened. Phalloid apophysis (afa) with a well-sclerotised but very small tubercle-shaped anterior process aafa. Posterior process (pafa) larger in size compared to aafa, entirely sclerotised, projecting to the right in a 45° angle, ending flat, with very small pointed apex projecting 90° to the left. Loa membranous, covered by short setae. Right phallomere broad, triangular, right edge of fda strongly sclerified, without mesal accessory lobe of fda. Pva and pia strongly sclerotized. R3 moderately-sclerotized. Coxosternite IX (subgenital plate) broad, longer than wide, with small hairs on ventral side up to posterior margin; posterior margin flat with very few small sclerotized spinules. Right posterior border densely populated with short but strongly sclerotised spinules and projecting dorsally in a rounded shape ( Fig. 6 ); styli cylindrical-shaped with small hairs.

Female.

Very similar to male but more robust, different in the following characters:

1) Ratio PL/PW = 3.65 [3.65−3.94 in males]

2) Ratio MzL/PzL = 3.17 [3.4−3.7 in males]

3) Very small ocelli [larger in male];

4) Anterior coxal margin with longer spines [shorter in male];

5) Tegmina wider (TgL/TgW = 2.17), discoidal area sub-opaque [narrower (TgL/TgW = 3.69−4.1), discoidal area hyaline];

6) Stigma more or less sub-oval to elliptically-shaped [more elongate in male];

7) Abdomen broad and ovaliform.

Figures

Fig. 3. Hierodula insperata sp. nov. A, paratype female in dorsal view; B, holotype male in dorsal view; C, anterior view of female’s paratype right prothoracic leg; D, anterior view of male holotype right prothoracic leg.

Fig. 4. Live views of the two holotypes; A-B, H. kaltenbachi sp. nov., holotype male; C-D, H. insperata sp. nov. holotype male.

Fig. 6. Hierodula insperata sp. nov., male subgenital plate; A, dorsal view; B, side view from the left under 45° angle; C, side view from the right.