Hierodula kaltenbachi Unnahachote & Vermeersch, 2023

Unnahachote, Thornthan & Vermeersch, Xavier H. C., 2023, Two new species of giant praying mantises (Mantodea: Mantidae: Hierodulinae: Hierodulini) from Thailand, Belgian Journal of Entomology 139, pp. 1-15 : 4-9

Hierodula kaltenbachi Unnahachote & Vermeersch, 2023 sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:60B57400-6E1D-4E4B-8BC3-F0C33DF15E47

( Figs 1 , 2 , 4 A−B, 5 A−C, 7)

DIAGNOSIS.

Hierodula kaltenbachi sp. nov. can be separated from other species of Hierodula by the following combination of characters:

(1) The black colouration of the apical end of the ventral coxal lobe of the prothoracic legs.

(2) The unique morphology of the male genitalia (described from dorsal view): afa well-sclerotised, aafa small and tubercle-shaped, pafa large with broad sclerotised base, divided in a long and twisted right process and a very short bluntly triangular left process. Large process shaped like a long pointy spine bending dorsad and to the left about midway in an almost 90° angle.

(3) Spinal formula: F = 4DS/15AvS/4PvS; T = 13AvS/8-10PvS.

ETYMOLOGY.

The species epithet is a patronym dedicated to Alfred Kaltenbach (1920−2005), an Austrian taxonomist who published numerous papers on praying mantises, and who was the first to recognise this species now named after him being new to science.

TYPE MATERIAL.

Holotype ♂ and paratypes (2 ♂). Holotype ♂: Thailand, Kamphaeng Phet Prov., Khlong Lan Dist., Khlong Nam Lai Subdist ., 21 IX.2020, leg. Jiaranaisakul K. I.G.: 34.635 ( RBINS); Paratypes (2♂): Thailand, Chiang mai Prov., 5km South of the Golden Triangle [ Myanmar - Laos - Thailand] (20°18ˈN, 100°05ˈE), IV.1979, leg. H. Lehmann sen. (SMNK); Thailand, Chiang mai Prov., Doi Kam (19°32ˈN, 100°18ˈE), 550m, X.2000, leg. S. Löffler. (SMNK).

DESCRIPTION.

Male (holotype): ( Figs 1 , 4 A−B, 5A−C, 7). Ratios (all male type specimens): PL/PW: 2.87−3.13, TgL/TgW (=Tegmen Width): 3.35−3.6, TgL/PL: 2.21−2.6. Measurements see Table 1. Colouration ( Fig 4 A−B): All know specimens feature a uniformly green body colouration with a magenta coloured underside of the thoracic segments. The inner sides of the raptorial legs are uniformly yellowish-green and brighter than the rest of the body. Ventral coxal lobe entirely black, dorsal coxal lobe black only apically in some specimens or entirely without black. Tip of trochanter with black spot. Black spots at base of 1 st to 2 nd and 10 th AvS.

Head: Triangular, wider than long with large, round compound eyes; vertex flat. Antenna filiform, with rare setae. Ocellar tubercle not elevated; ocelli relatively large. Lower frons transverse, pentagonal in shape, dorsal margin arched, ventral margin almost flat, with two interrupted paramedial carina forming two tubercles near ventral margin. Clypeus smooth with a medial ridge. Labrum entirely smooth.

Thorax: Pronotum more or less robust. Metazona longer than prozona, ratio MzL/PzL = 2.7, broadest point just after supracoxal dilation, narrowest point in the basal half of metazona. Supracoxal dilation not very distinct, rounded. Lateral margins of pronotum smooth with some indistinctly blunt denticulations at anterolateral margin; posterolateral margins darkened; small depressions present at anterior half of metazona near supracoxal sulcus; dorsal surface entirely smooth. Prosternum in well preserved specimens pale magenta in coloration, with a small pair of depressions at posterior half. Lateral cervical sclerites longer than wide, internal margin concave in the middle, ridged. Intercervical sclerites connected to each other, anterior and posterior margins ridged; two ventral cervical sclerites present, uninterrupted.

Prothoracic legs. Coxa with eleven to thirteen small, robust, yellowish-white spines of more or less equal size, except one or two at the most proximal and distal ends; posteroventral margin with small irregular denticles with small seta at tip of each denticle; coxal anterior surface entirely smooth; coxal lobes convergent, round, equal in shape; ventral coxal lobe entirely black, dorsal coxal lobe with more or less black mark at ventral margin and apex. Trochanter black at tip, more or less darkened posteriorly. Femur with gently curved dorsal margin, surface entirely smooth. Femoral brush elliptical. 15 AvS arranged as follows: iIiIiIiIiIiIiiI, 1 st, 2 nd, 4 th, 6 th, 8 th, 10 th, 12 th, 15 th entirely black, other AvS black at tip only; black patches present at base of black AvS, two larger patches at 1 st to 2 nd and 10 th AvS; four DS, 3 rd longest while others somewhat equal in length, 1 st and 3 rd black, others black at tip only; four PvS, black at tip; genicular lobe round with strong small genicular spur, black at tip. Tibia with 13 AvS, eight to ten PvS; all spines black at tip. Protarsi orange or reddish on anterior side while pale reddish green externally (almost green in dried specimens), first segment longer than the remaining segments combined; tibial spur and 11 th to 13 th tibial AvS same colour as Protarsi.

Meso-, metathoracic legs. Long and slender, without dilatations or projections. Mesofemur simple with very small hairs; genicular spur present; mesotibial length shorter than mesofemoral length, with denser hairs, two mesotibial spurs present. Metafemur with hairs; metatibial length slightly shorter than metafemoral length, with denser hairs; metatarsus slightly shorter than the remaining metatarsal segments combined; tibial claws simple.

Tegmina and alae. Both wings reach beyond tip of abdomen; Tegmina with smooth costa, costal area entirely greenish, opaque; discoidal area sub-opaque green at anterior half, narrower towards the apex; remaining area hyaline; stigma yellowish, opaque, more or less sub-ovalshaped. Alae well developed with greenish transparent costal area, discoidal- and anal area hyaline.

Abdomen. Uniformly greenish, seven visible coxosternites, widest at the middle of abdomen length; supra anal plate transverse, posterior margin round with dense hairs; cerci cylindrical-shaped, 18 segments, basal segments fused together, with hairs on each segment. Coxosternite IX (subgenital plate) longer than wide, with small hairs on ventral side to posterior margin; posterior margin slightly convex between styli, a few small but sclerotized black spines on the left apical side, densely present on right side; styli cylindrical-shaped with small hairs.

Male genitalia. Ventral phallomere of left phallic complex with a single long and strongly sclerotised, slightly sinuate, laterally oriented distal process (sdpl). Apical process of left phallomere (paa) broad and flattened. Phalloid apophysis (afa) with a well-sclerotised but small tubercle-shaped anterior process aafa, covered with minute tubercles. Posterior process (pafa) much larger in size compared to aafa, with broad sclerotised base, divided in a long and twisted process and a very short, blunt triangular process. Large right process shaped like a long pointy spine bending dorsad and to the left about midway of pafa in an almost 90° angle. Small left process triangular-shaped and located just before the twist of right process. Loa membranous, covered by short setae. Right phallomere widely triangular-shaped, with concave left edge, well sclerotized; lobe of fda covered by strongly short setae. Pva and pia well sclerotized. R3 moderately-sclerotized.

Female. Unknown.

Figures

Fig. 1. Hierodula kaltenbachi sp. nov.A, holotype male in dorsal view; B, anterior view of male’s left prothoracic leg.

Fig. 2. Hierodula kaltenbachi sp. nov. A, paratype PT1, male in dorsal view; B, paratype PT2, male in dorsal view; C, paratype PT1, ventral view front body; D, paratype PT2, ventral view front body; E, paratype PT1, genitalia prepared in microscope slide with labels and zoomed section; F, paratype PT1, labels; G, paratype PT2, labels.

Fig. 4. Live views of the two holotypes; A-B, H. kaltenbachi sp. nov., holotype male; C-D, H. insperata sp. nov. holotype male.