Paragalepsus toganus (Giglio-Tos, 1911)

Schwarz, Christian J., Pohl, Marius & Frank, Erik T., 2023, A preliminary checklist of the praying mantids of Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast (Insecta: Mantodea), Zootaxa 5373 (1), pp. 1-64 : 20-21

Paragalepsus toganus (Giglio-Tos, 1911)

Figs. 53–59

Galepsus toganus Giglio-Tos, 1911: 167–168 .

Type locality. Bismarckburg , Togo .

Distribution. Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Cameroon ( Beier 1968; Giglio-Tos 1911c; Gillon & Roy 1968; Ragge & Roy 1967; Roy 1964b, 1971b, c, 1975; Roy & Leston 1975).

Records. CSC: ♁, old camp, 15.X.2000, lux, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♁, old camp, 26.X.2000, lux, C. J. Schwarz leg.; ♁, new station, 03.IV.–12.V.2017, M. Pohl leg. (genitalia preparation Schwarz No. 321); 2 ♁♁, new station, 22.IV.–06.VI.2018, M. Pohl leg. SMNK: ♁, old camp, X.–XI.2000, C. J. Schwarz leg. (SMNK-Mant. 06688).

Remarks. A true savanna species, living in grass tufts and showing morphological and behavioral adaptations to this habitat. Females practice maternal care by guarding the ootheca against invertebrate predators (pers. obs.).

Figures

FIGURES 53–57. Paragalepsus toganus (Giglio-Tos, 1911). 53–54. Female from Ghana. 55–57. Male. 53, 55. Dorsal view. 54, 56–57. Ventral view. 57. Genitalia.

FIGURES 58–59. Paragalepsus toganus, live aspects of male. 58. Dorsolateral view. 59. Anterolateral view.