Amorphoscelis Stål, 1871

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 : 190-191

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222933.2021.1900441
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6B2B87B3-FF9C-6A47-FE5F-FB0BB6CA8607
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Amorphoscelis Stål, 1871
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Genus Amorphoscelis Stål, 1871 View in CoL

( Figures 1–10 View Figure 1 View Figure 2 View Figure 3 View Figure 4 View Figure 5 View Figure 6 View Figure 7 View Figure 8 View Figure 9 View Figure 10 )

Amorphoscelis Stål, 1871: 401 View in CoL ; Saussure,1872: 7; Wood-Mason,1882: 21; Giglio-Tos 1913: 27; Giglio-Tos 1914: 27; Giglio-Tos 1927: 20; Roy, 1962: 667–709; Roy, 1965: 267; Ragge and Roy, 1967: 586; Balderson, 1984: 3; Ehrmann 2002: 60–63; Roy 2011: 65–92; Schwarz and Roy 2019: 112, 132, 135.

Type species. Amorphoscelis annulicornis Stål, 1871 View in CoL

Diagnosis. Small-sized and dorso-ventrally flattened, species of this genus are known to be bark-dwelling. Head wider than pronotum, with prominent, juxtaocular bulges; compound eyes globular, possessing 3 ocelli. Lower frons narrow, arched, with sinuate dorsal margin. Antennae filiform, very long, longer than body length. Pronotum small, short, longer than wide, with uneven dorsal surface and curved lateral edges. Fore coxae smooth. Fore femur possessing 1 discoidal spine, without anteroventral spines. Fore tibiae only with 1 tibial spur. Fore tarsus longer than fore tibiae. Both sexes winged. Meso- and metathoracic femora robust. Male abdomen long, narrow. Male supra-anal plate (tergite 10) transverse, triangular. Last segment of cerci of male and female greatly enlarged and flattened. Subgenital plate of male (sternite 9) bears styli.

Four species groups are distributed in Indo-Malaysia ( Roy 2011). The annulicornis species group, including A. chinensis , A. hainana , A. xueshani sp. nov. and A. singaporana , has been recorded from China. In the annulicornis group, the apical process of the male genitalia bears a large pointed lateral extension ( Figure 5 View Figure 5 (e,h)) and the ventral phallomere always possesses two extensions on the left side. The borneana species group, represented by A. guaduna sp. nov., is newly recorded from China herein. In the borneana group, the apical process of the male genitalia does not bear a lateral extension, but the ventral phallomere possesses two pointed extensions fused on the left side.

Key to groups of Amorphoscelis View in CoL from Indo-Malaya (translated from Roy 2011, p. 66)

1. Apical process (titillator) bearing a large pointed lateral extension ( Figure 5 View Figure 5 (e,h)); ventral phallomere always with two extensions on the left side annulicornis View in CoL group

- Apical process (titillator) without lateral extension ( Figure 5 View Figure 5 (k)) ..................................... 2

2. Ventral phallomere with two pointed extensions contiguous on the left side, the right side with or without denticulations ................................................................ borneana group

- Ventral phallomere with a single extension on the left side, right side with rounded lobe ........................................................................................................................................................... 3

3. Ventral phallomere with prolongation of the left side pointed and with another pointed extension directed to the right in the central position .... .... reticulata group

- Ventral phallomere with only the extension on the left side, pointed or not .................. ........................................................................................................................................ philippina group

Key to species of Amorphoscelis Stål View in CoL from China

1. Apical process without lateral extension ( Figure 5 View Figure 5 (k)), juxtaocular bulge of vertex rounded ( Figure 4 View Figure 4 (h)) .................................................................................. A. guaduna sp. nov.

- Apical process bearing a large, sharp lateral extension ( Figure 5 View Figure 5 (e)), juxtaocular bulge tapered ( Figure 4 View Figure 4 (a)) ........................................................................................................................... 2

2. Ventral phallomere with vestigial lateral secondary distal process ( Figure 6 View Figure 6 (f)) .............. .................................................................................................................................. A. xueshani sp. nov.

- Ventral phallomere with pointed lateral secondary distal process ( Figure 5 View Figure 5 (b)) ....... 3

3. Median secondary distal process of the ventral phallomere swollen before its distal tip ( Figure 6 View Figure 6 (b)) ........................................................ ........................................................ A. singaporana View in CoL

- Median secondary distal process of the ventral phallomere gradually tapering (Figure 5(b,g)) ....................................................................................................................................................... 4

4. Overall colouration dark, male cercal length more than 2.6 mm ................ A. chinensis View in CoL