Hondurantemna chespiritoi, Rodrigues, Henrique M., Rivera, Julio, Reid, Neil & Svenson, Gavin J., 2017

Rodrigues, Henrique M., Rivera, Julio, Reid, Neil & Svenson, Gavin J., 2017, An elusive Neotropical giant, Hondurantemnachespiritoi gen. n. & sp. n. (Antemninae, Mantidae): a new lineage of mantises exhibiting an ontogenetic change in cryptic strategy, ZooKeys 680, pp. 73-104 : 73-81

Hondurantemna chespiritoi sp. n.

Type-specimens.

Holotype. 1 ♂ Mexico, Chiapas, Municipio de La Trinitaria, Lagunas de Monte Bello National Park, bellow Dos Lagos on rd. to Santa Elena, 1219m, 14.x.1981, D.E. & P.M. Breedlove (CAS). Allotype. 1 ♀ Honduras, Cortes 18km O. San Pedro Sula, Cra. El Merendon, 1650m, vii.1995, T. Porion A. Grange (MNHN). Paratypes. Adults: 1♀ Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Cusuco National Park, Base Camp, 15.4964 -88.2119, 27.vii.2015, N. Reid col. GD0073, MN758; 1♀ Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Cusuco National Park, Base Camp, 15.4964 -88.2119, 31.vii.2015, N. Reid col. GD0072. Immatures : 1♀ Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Cusuco National Park, Santo Tomas, 15.5611 -88.2974, 21.vii.2015, N. Reid col.; 1♂ Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Capuca, 15.5031 -88.2222, 17.vi.2015, N. Reid col.; 1♂ 6♀ Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Cusuco National Park, Base Camp, low vegetation, 15.4964 -88.2119, 09.vi.2015, N. Reid col.; 1♂ Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Cusuco National Park, Base Camp, low vegetation, 15.4964 -88.2119, 09.vi.2015, N. Reid col., MN757; 2♀ Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Cusuco National Park, Base Camp, 15.4964 -88.2119, 17.vi.2015, N. Reid col.; 1♀Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Cusuco National Park, Base Camp, 15.4964 -88.2119, 17.vi.2015, N. Reid col., MN759; 1♀ Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Cusuco National Park, Base Camp, 15.4964 -88.2119, 26.vii.2015, N. Reid col.; 2♀ Honduras, Cortez, San Pedro Sula, Cusuco National Park, Base Camp, 15.4964 -88.2119, vi–vii.2015, N. Reid col. (all paratypes are accessioned at CLEV).

Description.

Male: Medium sized. General coloration light brown with dark brown spots (Fig. 2A, B). Body length: 34.2; prozona length: 2.9; metazona length: 5.9; prothorax width: 3.8; forewing length: 21.9; hindwing length: 18.1; forecoxa length: 7.2; forecoxa width: 1.9; forefemur length: 8.8; forefemur width: 2.4; foretibia length: 5.0; mesofemur length: 12.0; midleg metatarsus length: 1.8; metafemur length: 15.3; hindleg metatarsus length: 2.5; metazona length/prozona length: 2.0; pronotum length/width: 2.3; pronotum length/forecoxa length: 1.2; forefemur length/width: 3.6.

Head (Fig. 3A): Rounded eyes. Vertex with dark brown spots, straight, on the same level as the imaginary line connecting the dorsal margin of compound eyes, and separated from the ocelli by two lateral keels and a central depression, the latter bearing the medial ocellar process with a rounded apex. Juxtaocular bulges not developed, on the same level as the vertex. Ocelli medium sized, arranged in the shape of a “V”, with the two lateral ocelli further away from each other due to the central depression. Scape and pedicel light brown, flagellomeres of antennae filiform, dark brown. One small tubercle between the eye and the antennal socket. Lower frons subpentagonal, almost as high as wide, bearing two small tubercles, upper margin arcuate, sinuous, the apex straight. Clypeus with a vertical central keel on the lower half. Maxillary palps with black spots on the medial surface, progressively larger towards the apical segments. Labial palps black on the medial surface of all segments.

Thorax (Fig. 4A): General shape cruciform, with the supracoxal dilation pronounced and rounded, metazona two times longer than the prozona. Margins of the prozona convergent anteriorly, ciliated, posteriorly slightly expanded, produced as flat projections, herein called shelves. Margins of the metazona also slightly produced in shelves, ciliated, with small tubercles, almost all of which are black, the anterior part of the metazona with symmetrical depressions on the dorsal surface. Cervix framed by lateral and intercervical sclerites, two ventral sclerites present; the intercervical sclerites with a pronounced torus intercervicalis, the first ventral cervical sclerite constricted in the middle (Fig. 5). Metathoracic hearing organ with deep groove, without knobs (DNK type) (see Yager and Svenson, 2008).

Prothoracic legs: Forecoxae (Fig. 6A) triangular in cross-section, light brown except for the dorsal apical lobe, which is dark brown; posteroventral margin with dispersed tubercles, anteroventral margin with small tubercles bearing slender setae, dorsal margin bearing five large spines and smaller spines between them, the former dark brown on the posterior surface and black on the anterior surface and around the base; ante rior apical lobes divergent. Forefemora (Fig. 7A) light brown with three dark brown spots on the dorsal area of the anterior surface, dorsal margin regularly convex, slightly compressed anteroposteriorly; F=4DS/15AvS/5PvS; crenulation between posteroven tral spines II, III and IV; all discoidal spines black on the anterior surface, the first spine with a dark spot on its base; all the large anteroventral spines black on the inner surface with a dark spot on their bases, a dark spot on the anterior surface above the first two spines; genicular spine developed on both sides of the femora; spur sulcus located in the proximal quarter of the femora; femoral brush extending from the 13th anteroventral spine to beyond the most distal. Foretibiae (Fig. 8A) light brown; T= 12 –13AvS/12– 13PvS. Foretarsi light brown, with an anterior-basal dark brown spot on the first tarsomere and dark brown anterior-apical spots on tarsomeres I–III.

Wings: Forewings reaching the apex of the abdomen, costal area with a sinuous margin, reticulate veins, opaque green; discoidal area mostly hyaline, with an anterior area smoky green and all the veins and crossveins opaque green. Hindwings shorter than the forewings, not reaching the apex of the abdomen; hyaline with brown-red veins and crossveins (Fig. 2A, B).

Meso- and metathoracic legs: Coxa with two strong keels, one anterodorsal and the other posterodorsal. Trochanter with a notch on apical ventral margin, bearing a spine on the articulation with the femora (Fig. 9). Femora smooth except for one keel that runs along the posteroventral margin and originates one single subapical lobe (Fig. 10A); one genicular spine present on the anterior surface. Tibiae smooth, circular in cross-section with two genicular spines. Tarsi with metatarsomeres shorter than other tarsomeres together.

Abdomen: With black spots on the sides of tergites II–V and VII–IX, and a black stripe on tergites VI–VII. Slightly dorsoventrally compressed, with apical lobes on sternites IV–VI, more developed on segments V and VI, the lobes flat against the body (Fig. 11). Supra-anal plate triangular, wider than long, posterior margin arcuate. Cerci elongated but not reaching the apex of subgenital plate, the latter almost as wide as long, flat between styli.

Genitalia: Left phallomere - Sclerite L4B roughly rectangular, longer than wide, left margin projected anteriorly; apofisi falloide (afa) with the anterior part bearing small spines and extremely elongate, projecting dorso-posteriorly, posterior part also elongated, curved towards the left, tapering distally and bearing small spines at the apex; lobo membranoso (loa) elongate, without projections, glabrous; processo apical (paa) elongate, slightly flattened, curved 30° to the left, apex curved anteriorly; sclerite L4A roughly circular, without projections other than the processo distal (pda); pda elongate, curved to the right, uniformly broad, tapering at the distal third, ending in a strongly sclerotized spine (Fig. 12). Right phallomere - roughly triangular, rounded posterior apex; right arm elongate, slender, without projections; anterior process elongate and slender; apodema anterior (aa) oval and slender; processo ventrale (pva) elongate, smooth, apex rounded and well sclerotized; piastra ventrale (pia) elongate, well sclerotized, with “U” shaped striations (Fig. 13).

Female: Medium to large sized. General coloration light green without any spots (Fig. 2C, 2D). Body length: 52.9-53.9; prozona length: 5.1-5.5; metazona length: 10.8-11.2; prothorax width: 6.7-7.0; forewing length: 29.4-31.6; hindwing length: 31.6-31.9; forecoxa length: 12.7-14.0; forecoxa width: 3.0-3.9; forefemur length: 15.6-16.0; forefemur width: 4.3-4.6; foretibia length: 8.5-8.9; mesofemur length: 12.0-12.4; metafemur: length 15.3-15.8; metazona length/prozona length: 2.0-2.1; pronotum length/width: 2.4-2.5 pronotum length/forecoxa length: 1.2-1.3; forefemur length/width: 3.4-3.6.

Head (Fig. 3B): Vertex straight or slightly sinuous, raised above imaginary line connecting dorsal margins of the eyes, juxtaocular bulges slightly developed. Ocelli small, arranged in the shape of an arc. Scape, pedicel and first half of the flagellomeres of the antennae green, the second half of the flagellomeres dark brown. Lower frons bearing two small central tubercles, except in one of the specimens. Maxillary palps green, the last segment with black spot on the medial surface.

Thorax (Fig. 4B): Supracoxal dilation pronounced and rounded. Margins of the prozona convergent, ciliated with small tubercles, produced in shelves. The posterior third of the metazona with a central keel. The first ventral cervical sclerite in one of the specimens constricted in the middle, in the other two specimens not constricted.

Prothoracic legs: Forecoxae (Fig. 6B) green, dorsal margin bearing six to eight large spines, dark brown on the anterior surface and around the base, apical lobes parallel. Forefemora (Fig. 7B) green, dorsal margin bearing small tubercles, regularly convex, slightly compressed anteroposteriorly; F=4DS/15AvS/5PvS; posteroventral spines with crenulation present after the second spine; the first discoidal spine black on the anterior surface, the other three dark brown; the first anteroventral spine and all the large anteroventral spines dark brown on the anterior surface, the large spines may present a dark spot on their base. Foretibiae (Fig. 8B) green; T= 14AvS/13-14PvS. Foretarsi green, without dark spots.

Wings: Forewings opaque green, costal area almost as wide as the discoidal area, the apex constricted, making the tegmina follow the abdomen contour, with 7-10 branches of the sub-costa vein, crossveins with a reticulate appearance; spot in the center of the discoidal area, composed of an anterior small crescent-shaped brown portion and a posterior round white portion; anal area smoky green. Hindwings as long as the tegmina, reaching the apex of the abdomen, apex of the discoidal area well developed, opaque green, the remainder of the hindwing hyaline (Fig. 2C, D).

Meso- and metathoracic legs: Femora with three keels, one runs along the posteroventral margin and originates one single subapical lobe (Fig. 10B), the second runs along the dorsoposterior margin and the third, less marked, runs along the dorsoanterior margin. Tibiae with two rows of aligned setae. Metatarsi with the metatarsomeres equal or slightly smaller than the other tarsomeres together.

Abdomen: Without black spots. Slightly dorsoventrally compressed, without apical lobes on sternites. Cerci elongated, cercomeres cylindrical, except the last one, which is conical.

Genitalia: Gonoplacs (gl) simple, bearing setae along the dorsal margin and the base, apex bearing a ventral projection. Gonapophysis IX (gp) mostly membranous, with two sclerotized ribbons, one elongate and tapering towards the apex of gp, the other shorter and occupying a medial projection of gp, this projection being rounded; gl and gp of almost the same length. Gonapophysis VIII (ga) bearing setae on the base, on the ventral surface and on the apex, a dorsal groove spanning the two basal thirds, ending in a pointed projection, the apex enlarged ventrally. Basivalvula (bv) with the lateral surface smooth, bearing a central depression, the medial surface rugose, with two projections, one central directed medially, the other more posterior, directed to the base of the ga. Interbasivalvula (ib) well sclerotized, rugose and shaped like a sectioned rhombus. Laterosternal shelves (ls) weakly sclerotized, roughly rhomboid, with short rounded posterior projections (Fig. 14).

Nymphs (unless specified, description applies to male and female nymphs of all instars): General coloration varies from entirely light brown to light brown mottled with dark brown.

Head: Vertex higher than imaginary line connecting dorsal margin of the compound eyes, without lateral keels and a central depression but with the medial ocellar process. In female nymphs, the process becomes increasingly smaller during development, being absent on the instar before the final molt (Fig. 15). Juxtaocular bulges slightly developed. Ocelli small, underdeveloped. Lower frons mottled dark brown to completely light brown, with the upper margin not sinuous, tubercles light brown. Clypeus with a transversal keel on the middle, light brown or with the upper half mottled dark brown and the lower half light brown. Maxillary palps with segments I and II black on the medial surface, IV light brown to light brown with a dark brown spot, segment V light brown to completely dark brown. Labial palps segments black on the medial surface or completely dark brown.

Thorax: The first ventral cervical sclerite may be split in two. Metathoracic hearing organ underdeveloped.

Prothoracic legs: Forecoxae light brown except for the lower apical lobe, which is dark brown. Dorsal margin bearing five to six large spines. Forefemora varying, light brown with three dark brown spots on the dorsal area of the anterior surface to dark brown with light brown spots; F=4DS/15AvS/5PvS; males without crenulation between posteroventral spines, females with crenulation; discoidal spines black on the anterior surface, the first spine presenting a dark spot on its base; the first anteroventral spine black, a dark spot on the anterior surface above the first two to four spines; femoral brush extending from the 12th anteroventral spine to the last, a dark spot may be present under the femoral brush. T=13 –14AvS/12– 14PvS. Foretarsi with an anterior-basal dark brown spot on the first tarsomere and dark brown anterior-apical spots on all tarsomeres.

Meso- and metathoracic legs: Femora with three keels, one runs along the posteroventral margin and originates one single subapical lobe, the second runs along the dorsoposterior margin and the third, less marked, runs along the dorsoanterior margin, the keels on the youngest female nymphs are expanded into shelves (Fig. 16A). Metatarsi with the metatarsomeres equal or slightly smaller than the other tarsomeres together.

Abdomen: Without black spots or bands on the tergites. Not dorsoventrally compressed, on males apical lobes present on sternites IV–VI, lobe on segment V more developed, the lobes pointing down instead of being held against the body (Fig. 17), on females, lobes absent. Supra-anal plate triangular, almost as long as wide, posterior margin arcuate. Cerci short, styli developed on males, absent on females.

Distribution and habitat.

The Lagunas de Montebello National Park, Mexico, from which the holotype was collected, is ca. 6,500 hectares located on the high plains of Chiapas, with an altitude between 1,200 and 1,800 meters above sea level (UNESCO: Lagunas de Montebello http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?mode=gen&code=MEX+37). The predominant vegetation is Central American pine-oak forest over a highly rugged terrain. The Sierra del Merendón, from which the allotype and paratypes were collected, is a mountain range extending from northwest Honduras into southeast Guatemala bordered by the Lempa and Motagua River valleys. The size of the region and its typographical complexity supports four principal forest ecotypes; 1) tropical lowland dry forest, 2) tropical moist forest, 3) montane cloud forest (above 1,200m) and 4) the Bosque Enano or 'dwarf forest’ occurring at the highest elevations (above 2,000m). The Parque Nacional Cusuco, surrounding Montaña San Ildefonso (also known as Cerro Jilinco), from which the paratypes were collected, is located within the Sierra del Merendón, and is a protected area of 23,440 hectares ( Slater et al. 2011). The vegetation is mostly montane secondary broad-leaved forest interspersed with pines, which dominate steeper slopes with palms or bamboo thickets along elevated ridges and tree ferns at lower altitudes (NR, pers. comm.). All nymph specimens were collected in small clearings on low vegetation, usually in the early morning when individuals were found commonly at the apex of herbaceous plants ca. 1-2m tall often hanging upside-down on the underside of a leaf or branch.

Etymology.

A name in the genitive case, this species is named after “Chespirito”, the screen name of famous late Mexican TV comedian Roberto Gomez Bolaños. Chespirito created and portrayed several characters cherished across Latin America, including "El Chavo del Ocho" and "El Chapulín Colorado", the latter a sort of superhero whose outfit was inspired by grasshoppers or “chapulines”.