Titanodula, Vermeersch, 2001

Vermeersch, Xavier H. C., 2020, Titanodula gen. nov., a new genus of giant Oriental praying mantises (Mantodea: Mantidae: Hierodulinae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 100, pp. 1-18 : 1-18

Genus Titanodula gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AFA3EEA0-6982-45D0-B294-3C8B123BD95F

( Figs 1−3 , 5−6 )

Type species: Titanodula attenboroughi by present designation.

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS. Titanodula gen. nov. can be distinguished from all other genera within Mantidae by the combination of the following characters:

1) Large and robust praying mantis.

2) Lower frons with two vertical margins within, interrupted in the middle, forming two small but distinct tubercles at its anterior margin.

3) Ventral coxal lobe darkened or black ventrad.

4) Darkened or black spots at the base of 2nd, 10th and 15th profemoral AvS.

5) All protarsal segments black anteriorly.

6) Male genitalia as described below.

DESCRIPTION. Large and very robust praying mantises. Females macropterous, tegmina cover the abdomen completely. Male macropterous, tegmina extend beyond the abdomen.

Head: triangular, broader than high, with large rounded eyes. Antennae filiform. Long but robust pronotum, with smooth dorsal surface, without projections or lateral expansions.

Thorax: pronotum very finely denticulate along the margins of the prozone without denticulations in the metazone in females, entirely smooth edges in males. Dorsal side of the pronotum covered by a very thin whitish waxy layer in adults of both sexes that can easily be removed by direct contact. Profemora with 4 discoidal spines, 15 anteroventral spines and 4 posteroventral spines. Protibiae with 13−14 (rarely 15) anteroventral spines and 10 posteroventral spines. Protarsus (all segments) entirely black anteriorly, concolour with rest of the forelegs (green in all studied specimens) on the posteriorly. Ratios: ♂ MzL/PzL: 3.2; ♀: MzL/PzL: 3. All known species have darkened or blackish spots on the anterior side of the profemora located at the base of the 2 nd, 10 th and 15 th anteroventral spine.

Male genitalia: with left phallic complex elongated and relatively narrow, lobe L4A projecting anteriorly; afa with small tubercle-shaped aafa and larger pafa with spear shaped projection oriented posteriad; distal processes (sdp) adjacent, relatively short but very strongly curved and about the same size.

ETYMOLOGY. The genus name is derived from the ‘Titans’ in Greek mythology, who were a mythological race of giants, thus emphasizing the large size and strength of the species belonging to this genus. The second part of the genus name “-dula” is a reference to the genus Hierodula in which some species were previously described.

DISTRIBUTION. Titanodula gen. nov. has a confirmed presence in Bangladesh, Southern China, Taiwan and Vietnam. It appears that the genus has a wide distribution across the Oriental region but remains limited to suitable forested habitats, making these giant praying mantises vulnerable to habitat loss and deforestation as a result of expanding human activities.

SPECIES INCLUDED:

Titanodula attenboroughi sp. nov.

Titanodula formosana (Giglio-Tos, 1912) comb. nov.

Titanodula fruhstorferi (Werner, 1916) comb. nov.

Titanodula grandis (Saussure, 1870) comb. nov.

Figures

Fig. 1. Titanodula attenboroughi sp. nov., holotype ♂ (RBINS). A, habitus, dorsal view. B, habitus, ventral view. C, head, frontal view. D, left prothoracic leg, anterior view. C, D not to scale.

Fig. 2. Titanodula attenboroughi sp. nov., paratype ♀, [PT1] (RBINS). A, habitus, dorsal view. B, habitus, ventral view. C, head, frontal view. D, left prothoracic leg, anterior view. C, D not to scale.

Fig. 3. Titanodula attenboroughi gen. nov. et sp. nov., live photographs of holotype ♂ (A, B, C) and paratype ♀ [PT1] (D, E) at Kon Chu Rang N.R., VII. 2018.

Fig. 5. Titanodula fruhstorferi comb. nov., additional specimen ♂ from Cuc Phuong N.P. (RBINS). A, Genitalia prep. Vermeersch Nr. GEN1839, left phallic complex, dorsal view. Titanodula attenboroughi sp. nov., holotype ♂ (RBINS). B, genitalia prep. Vermeersch Nr. GEN1840, left phallic complex, dorsal view. C, right phallic complex, ventral view. D, coxosternite IX (subgenital plate), dorsal view. Drawings © Mado Berthet.

Fig. 6. Distribution map of Titanodula fruhstorferi comb. nov. (▲) and Titanodula attenboroughi sp. nov. (●) in Vietnam. From top to bottom: T. fruhstorferi; Cham Chu N.R., Tam Dao N.P., Tay Yen Tu N.R., Cuc Phuong N.P. T. attenboroughi; Da Krong N.R., Kon Chu Rang N.R.