Amorphoscelis xueshani Wu and Liu, 2021

Wu, Chao & Liu, Chun-Xiang, 2021, The genus Amorphoscelis Stål (Mantodea: Amorphoscelidae) from China, with description of two new species and one newly recorded species, Journal of Natural History 55 (3 - 4), pp. 189-204 : 194-195

Amorphoscelis xueshani Wu and Liu sp. nov.

( Figures 1 (e), 3(e,h), 4(d), 5(m), 6(e–h))

Type material. Holotype: CHINA: 1 ♂; Tibet, Medog ; 29.58323°N, 95.46829°E; 1396 m; 20 July 2014; Chao Wu leg. ( IZCAS) . Paratypes: CHINA: 2 ♂; Tibet, Medog ; 29.58323°N, 95.46829°E; 1396 m . 21 July 2014, Chao Wu leg. ( CCW). 1 ♂; Tibet, Medog, Dexing ; 29.33452°N, 95.31611°E; 818 m; 26 August 2013; Wen-Xuan Bi leg . ( IZCAS).

Description. Male. Head large, wider than pronotum; compound eyes rounded and protuberant, ocelli bulging, the lateral ocelli oval and larger than the medial ocellus; lower frons panhandled. Juxtaocular bulges conical, with blunt tips. Antennae filiform, very long. Pronotum short, inverted trapezoidal, covered in setae; lateral pronotal expansion rounded; metazone longer than prozone, with uneven dorsal surface and curved lateral margins. Fore femora robust and pilose, with 1 short discoidal spine; tibiae short, bending, smooth and swollen in the middle; tarsi much longer than tibiae, meta-basitarsi much longer than total length of other segments. Fore wings nearly hyaline, long, surpassing apical margin of the abdominalia; narrow, semi-hyaline costal area with many forked veins, external margin of costal area with some short setae ( Figure 1 (e)). Fore wings with a large, wedge-shaped stripe, discoidal and anal area hyaline. Hind wings hyaline. Middle and hind legs robust, with setae, but without serrature. Abdomen slender, subgenital plate trapezoidal, unnotched, with styli. Last segment of cerci oblong, flat and wide ( Figure 5 (m)).

Genitalia. Median secondary distal process of ventral phallomere highly developed, sinuous and swollen before its distal tip; lateral secondary distal process of ventral phallomere vestigial ( Figure 6 (g)). Apical process of left phallomere possessing a small peak on the side ( Figure 6 (f,g)).

Colouration. When alive, body yellowish-brown, with irregular brown spots. Antennae testaceous, lower frons blackish; antennae brownish, each segment light-coloured at base. Fore coxae tawny, ringed; fore femora and fore tibiae red-brown, area near femoral brush brown on inner surface. Meso- and metathoracic femora pale reddish brown. Meso- and metathoracic tibiae and tarsi fulvous, ringed. Fore wings nearly hyaline, with a large, wedge-shaped, brown stripe in basal and medial portion and several small brown spots in distal part; discoidal and anal area hyaline; narrow semi-hyaline costal area brown. Hind wings hyaline, with brown costal area ( Figure 1 (e)). Ventral surface of abdomen black and glossy. Cerci darkish brown, each segment light-coloured at base. Genitalia strongly pigmented.

Female. Unknown.

Male measurements (mm). (Holotype in parentheses): body length: 21.52–21.60 (21.58); length of pronotum: 2.43–2.50 (2.46); length of fore femora: 3.10–3.15 (3.12); length of middle femora: 5.40–5.43 (5.42); length of hind femora: 6.05–6.10 (6.08); length of tegmina: 20.95–21.10 (21.08); length of cerci: 2.74–2.80 (2.76); head width: 4.54–4.58 (4.56).

Discussion. This new species is distinctive in its large size, fore wing with large stains, and unique genital structure. The new species resembles A. singaporana in the median secondary distal process of the ventral phallomere, which is highly developed, sinuous, and swollen before its tip, but differs in that it does not feature the lateral secondary distal process of the ventral phallomere ( Figure 6 (f)).

Distribution. China (Tibet: Medog).

Etymology. The new species is named after the senior author’s grandfather Xue-Shan Wu.

Figures

Figure 1. (a–f) Left side of male fore wings in Amorphoscelis spp. from China. (a) A. chinensis from Guangdong; (b) A. chinensis from Henan; (c) A. hainana; (d) A. singaporana; (e) A. xueshani sp. nov.; (f) A. guaduna sp. nov.

Figure 5. Male phallic complex and cercus of Amorphoscelis spp. from China. (a,f,i) right epiphallus; (b, c,d,g,j) ventral phallomere; (e,h,k) left epiphallus; (l–p) cercus. (a–e) A. chinensis; (f–h) A. hainana; (i–k) A. guaduna sp. nov.; (l) A. singaporana; (m) A. xueshani sp. nov.; (n) A. chinensis; (o) A. hainana; (p) A. guaduna sp. nov. Abbreviations: afa, phalloid apophysis; bl, basal lobe of ventral phallomere; paa, apical process of left phallomere, titillator; pda, primary distal process; sdpl, lateral secondary distal process; sdpm, median secondary distal process.

Figure 6. Male phallic complex of Amorphoscelis spp. from China. (a,e) right epiphallus; (b,c,f,g,j) ventral phallomere; (d,h) left epiphallus. (a–d) A. singaporana; (e–h) A. xueshani sp. nov. Abbreviations: afa, phalloid apophysis; bl, basal lobe of ventral phallomere; paa, apical process of left phallomere, titillator; pda, primary distal process; sdpl, lateral secondary distal process; sdpm, median secondary distal process.