Hierodula latipennis Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893

Liu, Qin-Peng, Liu, Zi-Jun, Wang, Guo-Li & Yin, Zi-Xu, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the praying mantis subfamily Hierodulinae of China (Mantodea: Mantidae), Zootaxa 4951 (3), pp. 401-433 : 409-410

Hierodula latipennis Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893

( Figs. 3 , 12I–J , 14I–J )

Hierodula unimaculata nec Olivier, 1792: Zhu et al. 2012: 249–251.

Hierodula latipennis Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893: 69 . Holotype (♀): Myanmar (Burma), Carin Ghecù , MCSNG.

Hierodula macrodentata Wang, Zhou & Zhang, 2020a: 6 . Holotype (♂): China, Yunnan, SEM. New synonymy.

Material examined. Holotype of H. latipennis : 1♀, MYANMAR, Carin Ghecù, alt. 1300–1400m, II–III. [18].88, L. Fea, 511. 3♂, MYANMAR, Lashio, 23°18’41’’ N, 98°03’12’’E, alt. 843m, 1.vi.2019, leg. Chenglong Wang. 1♂, 1♀, CHINA, Yunnan, Jinghong, Xishuangbanna, 22°36’N, 101°25’E, 1.xi.2017, leg. Zhaotai Wei. 1♂, 1♀, CHINA, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Mengla, Yiwu, 21°59’04’’N, 101°26’50’’E, alt. 1045m, 2.vii.2018, leg. Guozhong Yang. 1♀, CHINA, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna , Jinghong , Jinuoshan , 22°02’11’’ N, 101°00’02’’E, alt. 1013m, 1.v.2019, leg. Hengyu Wu.

Measurements [in mm, ♂ (n = 5), ♀ (n = 3)]. Body length, ♂ 76.2–80.8, ♀ 63.2–68.6. Pronotum length, ♂ 20.0, ♀ 20.8–21.6. Forewing length, ♂ 51.6–58.0, ♀ 42.3.

Distribution. China (Yunnan); Myanmar.

Remarks. This species can be easily distinguished from other congeners by its wide costal area on forewing in female and five to seven, polished, large, obtuse dorsal spines on the forecoxa. By carefully examining the photographs of the holotype, the original description and illustration of Hierodula latipennis Brunner, 1893 , the redescription by Giglio-Tos (1927), and our collections from Myanmar, we found that the characters which meet H. latipennis also agree with H. macrodentata . Therefore, a new synonymy, H. latipennis Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893 = H. macrodentata Wang, Zhou & Zhang, 2020 , syn. nov. is proposed herein. We suggest that the same species was misidentified as ‘ H. unimaculata ’ in Zhu et al. (2012).

Male genitalia ( Fig. 12I–J ) studied herein do not differ from those described in Wang et al. (2020a).

Ootheca ( Fig. 14I–J ) similar to that of H. chinensis but usually subtriangular in profile, while in H. chinensis it is subrectangular. Externally with 10– 18 egg chambers, each egg chamber with distinct edges, forming longitudinal ridges (lateral suture). The operculum on the emergence area are highly reduced, causing pentagonal chamber openings exposed. External wall dark coloured, very hard. Females attach egg cases to thin branches, thus causing the proximal end of the ootheca to partially or fully encircle the substrate to which it is attached.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Hierodula latipennis. A–C. Holotype of Hierodula latipennis. A. Labels; B. Ventral view; C. Dorsal view. Photo R. Poggi, © Museo Civico di Storia Naturale ’’G. Doria’’, Genoa, Italy, published with permission. D–G. Specimens from Yunnan, China. D. Male, dorsal view; E. Male, ventral view; F. Female, dorsal view; G. Female, ventral view.

FIGURE 12. Ventral phallomere and left phallomere on the male genitalia of Chinese Hierodulinae. A–B. Hierodula chinensis. C–D. Hierodula jianfenglingensis. E–F. Hierodula longa. G–H. Hierodula zhangi. I–J. Hierodula latipennis. K–L. Rhombodera valida. M–N. Rhombodera latipronotum. O–P. Ephierodula albomaculata from Mengla, Yunnan. © Chao Wu, China, published with permission. Q–R. Ephierodula meihuashana from Wuping, Fujian. © Chao Wu, China, published with permission. S–T. Hierodula dyaka.

FIGURE 14. Ootheca of Hierodulinae from China. A–B. Hierodula chinensis (Qingyuan, Guangdong). C. Hierodula chinensis (Jingdezhen, Jiangxi). D. Hierodula chinensis (Xiangyang, Hubei). E–F. Hierodula longa. G–H. Hierodula jianfenglingensis. I–J. Hierodula latipennis. K–L. Titanodula formosana (Yangshuo, Guangxi). M. Titanodula formosana (Maoming, Guangdong). N–P. Hierodula zhangi. Q. Rhombodera valida. R. Rhombodera latipronotum.