Dracomantis Shcherbakov et Vermeersch, 2020

Shcherbakov, E. O. & Vermeersch, X. H. C., 2020, DRACOMANTIS MIROFRATERNUS GEN. ET SP. N., A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF HIERODULINAE (MANTODEA: MANTIDAE) FROM VIETNAM, Far Eastern Entomologist 408, pp. 1-12 : 3

Genus Dracomantis Shcherbakov et Vermeersch , gen. n.

http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/ FC48508B-CC4D-4CCB-87DB-25FC955E7B8B

Type species: Dracomantis mirofraternus Shcherbakov et Vermeersch , sp. n.

DIAGNOSIS. This new genus is provisionally placed in the subfamily Hierodulinae sensu Schwarz & Roy (2019) based on the following characters. External habitus is very robust. Lower frons is typical for Hierodulinae , while the area between the base of the antenna and the complex eye possesses a tubercle, also present in several Hierodulinae genera. The afa is large and bulky, but lacks the wide separation between aafa and pafa diagnostical of Tenoderinae, Stagmoman-

tinae and Vatinae.

It is readily distinguished from all other genera of the subfamily by a combination of the following characters: 1) robust habitus; 2) strong, thick metazonal keel,

which makes metazone triangular in cross-section; 3) two distal processes with clearly separated bases; 4) afa without particularly strong sclerotization, spines or setae; 5) forefemoral spot. In habitus Dracomantis gen. nov. resembles some species of Hierodula Burmeister, 1838 . Some Hierodula may also possess sdp with two apexes or a forefemoral maculation. None, however, have such a prominent metazonal keel. In species of Hierodula sensu lato with “double” sdp its two apexes are united by a common base, which is sclerotised dorsally by L4A-d. In contrast,

the distal processes of Dracomantis gen. nov. do not share a common totally sclerotized base and the dorsal surface becomes sclerotized separately on each process. In addition, all Hierodula species with similar habitus are much larger than

Dracomantis gen. nov. It is worth noting that Hierodula as currently conceived is a polyphyletic genus and will eventually be split into more natural genera.

Monotypic, therefore the genus characters are those of the type species.

ETYMOLOGY. The genus name is a combination of Latin draco (dragon), and the genus name Mantis , reflecting its robust and crenulated appearance.