Ciulfina annecharlotteae Holwell

Holwell, Gregory I., 2014, Four new species of Ciulfina Giglio-Tos, 1915 (Mantodea: Liturgusidae, Liturgusinae) from the Northern Territory, Australia, Zootaxa 3797 (1), pp. 29-38 : 33

Ciulfina annecharlotteae Holwell sp. nov.

Type material. AUSTRALIA: Holotype and four paratypes (all males); Gregory National Park, Northern Territory, 15°36’S, 131°06’E, 18.ix.2007 (G. Holwell, J. O’Hanlon, D. Rao and A. Harmer).

Diagnosis. The distinguishing male genital feature of C. annecharlotteae is the pair of widely spaced but parallel sclerotized teeth at the apex of the processo distale (pda). Also useful for diagnoses are the greatly reduced nature of the apofisi falloide (afa) and the strongly curved processo apicale (paa), which does not extend beyond the pubescent membrane of left sclerite L4B. All examined material exhibited dextral genital orientation.

Description of genitalia

Right phallomere: general shape typical of genus; first sclerite (R1) thumb-shaped, deeply pouched, oriented posteriorly and attached to ventral phallomere by long arm of uniform width with slightly flanged apex; apex of fallomero dorsale di destra (fda) rounded, medial edge sclerotized, possessing short peg-like projections; ventral wall of R1 bears sharply tapering sclerotized groove formed between the piastra ventrale (pia) and processo ventral sclerificata (pva), which is gently curved, long and slender and apically rounded; third sclerite (R3) typically spoon-shaped.

Left complex: general shape typical of genus; apofisi falloide (afa) greatly reduced but sclerotized forming only a slight ridge; processo apicale (paa) slender and sinuate, gradually tapering apically, apex well developed and strongly curved, slightly bulbous and moderately sclerotized, process projects away from right phallomere parallel to base of left sclerite L4A, but not beyond pubescent membrane of left sclerite L4B; edge of pubescent membrane of L4B highly arched, and rounded without distinct tip; left sclerite L4B moderately sclerotized distally with square projection between pubescent membrane and base of paa; ventral plate of left sclerite L4A typical; processo distale (pda) bearing two well-developed sclerotized teeth; one shorter posterior tooth and one longer anterior tooth, both pointing anteriorly.

Etymology. Named after Anne Charlotte Gaskett, the author‘s wife, for her contributions to our understanding of the biology and natural history of Australia’s biota.