Liturgusa cameroni, Svenson, Gavin J., 2014

Svenson, Gavin J., 2014, Revision of the Neotropical bark mantis genus Liturgusa Saussure, 1869 (Insecta, Mantodea, Liturgusini), ZooKeys 390, pp. 1-214 : 98-100

Liturgusa cameroni sp. n.

Type.

Holotype Male, pinned. American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA.

Type locality.

Venezuela: Rancho Grande, nr. Maracay, Ven. 17-VI-1948 (Lat. 10.350000, Long. -67.683330).

Material examined.

Liturgusa cameroni sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Nearly identical to Liturgusa nubeculosa , the primary distinguishing characteristics being male genital features, distribution and the hindwing. It is one of the largest Liturgusa species with robust legs, highly contrasting mottled forewings and strong banding. A feature easily seen on most specimens that is capable of distinguishing the species from Liturgusa nubeculosa is that the discoidal region of the hindwing does not extend much beyond the distal margin of the anal region, which gives the wing a more truncate appearance compared to the hindwing of Liturgusa nubeculosa .

Description.

Male. (Fig. 25A) N=5: Body length 21.88-26.52 (24.66); forewing length 13.40-16.34 (15.19); pronotum length 7.21-8.74 (8.09); prozone length 2.08-2.49 (2.31); pronotum width 2.23-2.68 (2.48); pronotum narrow width 1.73-2.01 (1.88); head width 4.87-5.54 (5.23); head vertex to clypeus 1.80-2.12 (1.97); frons width 1.76-2.00 (1.89); frons height 0.55-0.73 (0.65); prothoracic femur length 6.44-8.10 (7.29); mesothoracic femur length 8.54-10.93 (9.89); mesothoracic tibia length 6.66-8.49 (7.96); mesothoracic tarsus length 5.57-7.51 (6.76); metathoracic femur length 7.27-11.64 (9.78); metathoracic tibia length 8.97-11.76 (10.55); metathoracic tarsus length 10.66; pronotal elongation measure 0.28-0.29 (0.29); pronotal shape measure 0.30-0.32 (0.31); head shape measure 0.36-0.39 (0.38); frons shape measure 0.30-0.38 (0.34); anteroventral femoral spine count 15-16 (16); anteroventral tibial spine count 10; posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 44E): Transverse, juxta-ocular protuberances small, the apex in the lateral third; the vertex between the parietal sutures is straight and broad; vertex even or slightly below the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a medial carina forming an arc the middle with an obtuse angle. Ocelli small and protruding on small cuticular mounds. Lateral ocelli oriented outward. Frons highly transverse, the region below the antennal insertions very narrow; lower medial region with black marking. Clypeus transverse; upper margin straight, lower margin concave. Antennae pale basally, gradually fading to black. Upper region of clypeus pale, lower half brown; mandibles pale or brown; the vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances splotched with brown; the area adjacent to lateral ocelli black. Palpi are pale.

Pronotum (Fig. 49E): Elongate, but robust with a slightly defined supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface with numerous small tubercles. Prozone elongate with lateral margins that are near parallel, tapering anteriorly; the margins smooth. Metazone with concave lateral margins, a slight bulge in the posterior half; margins with few small, blunt tubercles; posterior margin slightly emarginate medially; the anterior half of dorsal surface raised, the dorsal surface of the posterior half depressed. Mostly brown with black marks.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur elongate with a slightly concave dorsal margin; strongly defined pale to dark banding on posterior (external) surface; anterior (internal) surface with a thin, black band running medially from the base to terminus; the ventral surface pale. Posterior surface of femur with few tubercles. A well developed femoral pit to accommodate terminal posteroventral tibial spine positioned just distal and medial to the most proximal posteroventral spine; pit is dark. Posterior prothoracic femoral genicular spine much smaller than posteroventral spines, originating distal to the beginning of the genicular lobe. Prothoracic tibial posteroventral spines with the first (proximal) smallest and the third through sixth of similar length, the second longer. Prothoracic coxae smooth; the anterior surface with a small, black band medially in the proximal half as well as a small black spot medially towards the distal terminus.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Femora with strongly pronounced ventral (posterior) and dorsal (anterior) carina; posterior surface with medial carina in the distal two thirds. Mesotarsi with first segment at most as long as the remaining segments combined.

Wings: Forewings mottled with brown, green, and pale coloration; the costal region with pale and dark irregular banding. Forewings sometimes colored asymmetrically, one being mottled the other is rust colored with the mottled pattern still visible. Hindwings smoky black and brown, opaque; the terminus of the discoidal region not projecting much beyond the distal margin of anal region, giving the wing a truncate appearance.

Abdomen: Elongate, tubular with slight widening before posterior narrowing; smooth. Tergites with small posterolateral tergal projections. Supra-anal plate transverse, tapering to a broadly rounded terminus. Subgenital plate irregularly rounded and without styli.

Genital Complex (Fig. 52H.1): The main body of ventral left sclerite (L4A) with a sharply pointed distal process (pda) resembling a curved tooth positioned laterally, the terminal margin of the L4A centrally rounded before a depression that leads to the pda. The apofisis falloid (afa) of the main body of dorsal left sclerite (L4B) broad and tapering quickly to a point; the apical process (paa) broad, cylindrical and curved, the terminus evenly rounded. The right dorsal phallomere (fda) of the first sclerite of right phallomere (R1) tapers to a rounded, membranous terminus with fine setae; the ventral plate (pia) strongly sclerotized, broadening proximally with strong curved grooves; the ventral process (pva) c-shaped, tapering to a point distally.

Female. (Fig. 25B) N=6: Body length 27.44-35.27 (31.21); forewing length 15.35-19.92 (17.30); hindwing length 14.68; pronotum length 9.07-11.12 (10.01); prozone length 2.59-3.17 (2.83); pronotum width 3.00-3.47 (3.23); pronotum narrow width 2.19-2.43 (2.27); head width 6.10-6.86 (6.48); head vertex to clypeus 2.48-2.78 (2.63); frons width 2.36-2.61 (2.46); frons height 0.78-0.97 (0.86); prothoracic femur length 8.02-10.43 (9.04); mesothoracic femur length 9.81-12.73 (11.14); mesothoracic tibia length 7.96-10.25 (8.94); mesothoracic tarsus length 6.96-8.69 (7.63); metathoracic femur length 9.70-12.13 (10.83); metathoracic tibia length 10.54-14.05 (12.09); metathoracic tarsus length 9.90-12.31 (10.99); pronotal elongation measure 0.28-0.29 (0.28); pronotal shape measure 0.31-0.34 (0.32); head shape measure 0.40-0.42 (0.41); frons shape measure 0.33-0.39 (0.35); anteroventral femoral spine count 16-17 (16); anteroventral tibial spine count 10; posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 44F): Slightly transverse, juxta-ocular protuberances medium, the apex in the middle third; the vertex between the parietal sutures is slightly concave and broad; vertex well above the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a medial carina forming a continuous arc.

Pronotum (Fig. 49F): Elongate, but robust with a moderately defined supra-coxal bulge. Metazone with concave lateral margins, a slight bulge in the posterior half; margins with small, blunt tubercles; posterior margin slightly emarginate medially.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur with very long posteroventral spines. A well developed femoral pit to accommodate terminal posteroventral tibial spine positioned medially to the proximal two posteroventral spines and in line with the distal most discoidal spine; pit is very deep, but pigmented pale. Prothoracic tibial posteroventral spines with the first (proximal) very small and the third through sixth of similar length, the second very long, nearly the same length as the terminal spine.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Mesotarsi with first segment shorter than the remaining segments combined.

Wings: Forewings broadened with a widened costal region, extending at most to the tip of the abdomen, but usually shorter; mottled with highly contrasting brown and pale coloration; the costal region with pale and dark irregular banding. Forewings colored symmetrically. Hindwings smoky black and brown, opaque, the anterior margin more pale.

Abdomen: Broad, widening from first segment until the beginning of the distal half (segment 4) when the lateral margins narrow gradually to the terminus, the middle being the broadest region. Tergites in the posterior half with small posterolateral tergal projections. Supra-anal plate as long as wide, evenly rounded.

Etymology.

A noun in the genitive case, Liturgusa cameroni is named for Stephen L. Cameron for his contributions to Mantodea sampling and his valuable collaboration.