Polyspilota aeruginosa (Goeze 1778)

Figs. 170–173

Mantis aeruginosa Goeze, 1778: 35 .

= Mantis rubro-maculata Goeze, 1778: 35 .

= Mantis variegata Olivier, 1792: 638 .

= Mantis adspersa Lichtenstein, 1802: 30 .

= Mantis striata Stoll, 1813: 34–35, pl. 11, Fig. 41.

= Mantis pustulata Stoll, 1813: 59, pl. 20, Fig. 73.

= Mantis nebulosa Thunberg, 1815: 288–289 .

= Mantis signata Thunberg, 1815: 292 .

= Mantis varia Burmeister, 1838: 534 .

= Mantis catenata Burmeister, 1838: 534 .

= Mantis vicina Audinet-Serville, 1838: 187 .

Type localities. (M. v. = M. s.) Angola; (M. p.) “ Ambon island”; (M. v.) Sierra Leone; (M. c.) Sierra Leone; (M. v.) Senegal.

Distribution. Africa south of the Sahara, Cape Verde, Madagascar, Comoros (Roy 1987a, b).

Records. CSC: ♁ ♀, old camp, 20.–31.X.2000, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♀, old camp, 28.X.2000, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♀, old camp, X.2000, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♀, old camp, 01.–04.XI.2000, C. J. Schwarz leg.; 3 juv., old camp, X.–XI.2000, C. J. Schwarz leg.; 2 ♁♁, new station, 22.IV.–06.VI.2018, M. Pohl leg.

Remarks. The most common and conspicuous praying mantis in the CNP, prefers wooded areas.