Velox, 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 : 128-130

Velox gen. n.

Type species.

Velox wielandi sp. n.

Description.

Habitus: One of the larger Neotropical Liturgusini , Velox is long and slender with tapered forewings, an elongate pronotum and long, slender meso and metathoracic legs. Coloration is heavily mottled and most observed males and the single female have asymmetrical wing coloration, one wing being much darker and folded under the other.

Measurement Ranges: Monotypic genus, see Velox wielandi for measurements.

Head: Transverse with large, rounded eyes projecting outside the profile of the head both laterally and anteriorly (the anterior margin of the eyes anterior to the central surface of the head). Juxta-ocular protuberances present, the lateral third being the most pronounced. The vertex between the parietal sutures is straight or barely concave. Frontal suture with a faint curved carina forming a continuous arc. Ocelli small with the central ocellus oriented anteriorly while the lateral are oriented anterolaterally at a 45 degree angle from the central axis of the head; protruding slightly on cuticular mounds. Frons narrowed between the antennal insertion sites and depressed below the central ocellus; a transverse carina present below the central ocellus, running from lateral margins under the antennal insertion sites medially in a dorsally oriented curve, the middle forming an angle. Upper margin of clypeus straight, lower margin concave or straight; a central protruding ridge strongly defined; the lateral margins tapering, widest at the upper margin. Labrum with minimal sculpting and a rounded terminus; lateral margins widening ventrally. Antennae filiform and with rare setae, pale proximally and fading distally to light brown in males and dark brown in females. Varying levels of black markings across the anterior surface of head, variable within the species. Palpi are pale.

Pronotum: Elongate with a slightly defined supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface with tubercles; prozone long with parallel lateral margins prior to a rounded anterior margin; metazone long with sweeping concave lateral margins in males and concave, but near parallel margins medially; margins exhibit small, occasional denticles; posterior margin of the metazone straight or broadly rounded, with a slight medial emargination. Supra-coxal sulcus strongly defined. The lateral margins of the pronotum slightly expanded to form a small ledge. Colored with black and pale markings that vary across specimens.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur robust with a straight dorsal margin distally, the proximal third slightly convex; anteroventral and posteroventral (internal and external, respectively) spines well developed; line of small, pointed tubercles running medially of the posteroventral spines; anteroventral spines black, posteroventral spines pale basally with black terminus. A strongly pronounced continuous carina running from distal terminus of femur along dorsal margin to the base, circling the external surface of the proximal end and running along the ventral margin at the base of the posteroventral spines. Pale to dark banding on posterior surface of femur with numerous tubercles; anterior (inner) surface amber colored or pale ventrally, a black strip medially, and pale along the dorsal margin; ventral surface between the anteroventral and posteroventral spines amber or pale colored. Well developed femoral pit on the ventral surface to accommodate terminal posteroventral tibial spine positioned on the lateral margin, pushing the margin outward between the proximal two posteroventral spines; pit is pale. Prothoracic tibial spines robust; the posteroventral spines with the first and second most proximal and fourth through seventh shorter than the proximal third and terminal spines; the anteroventral spines longest at distal end and shortening proximally. Posterior surface of the prothoracic tibiae smooth and banded with pale and dark coloration; anterior and ventral surface amber colored. Tarsi banded with pale and dark coloration. Prothoracic coxae smooth with varying black markings on the posterior and ventral surface, the anterior surface mostly black, but with varying pale marks.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Long and slender with pale to dark banding on the femur and tibia. Femora with pronounced dorsal and ventral carinae; posterior (upper) surface smooth. Tibiae banded with alternating pale and dark regions with a pronounced ventral carina. Mesotarsi with first segment as long or shorter than the remaining segments combined. Metatarsi with first segment longer than remaining segments combined.

Wings: Fully developed, the same length or slightly longer than the abdomen. Forewings mottled with contrasting regions of brown, white, and black; the costal region alternating irregularly from pale to dark its entire length; the costal region widened. The forewings may be colored asymmetrically, one being mottled as described above while the other is much darker and usually folded under the other. Hindwings opaque and smoky with near black veins; the costal region and the distal tip of the discoidal region more opaque with black pigment; the terminus of the discoidal region projecting well beyond the distal margin of anal region giving the appearance of an elongate wing.

Abdomen: Elongate for males and broad for females. Tergites without posterolateral projections. Cerci cylindrical, long and setose, tapering to a point. Supra-anal plate highly to slightly transverse between the sexes. Subgenital plate of male elongate, tapering to the terminus with two prominent styli.

Genital Complex: The main body of ventral left sclerite (L4A) with a smooth, rounded terminus, the left side with a broad indentation. The apofisis falloid (afa) of the main body of dorsal left sclerite (L4B) well sclerotized forming a smooth, rounded terminus in the shape of a broad, dull ninety degree hook; the apical process (paa) heavily sclerotized and curved, tapering to a smooth, rounded terminus that is heavily sclerotized. The right dorsal phallomere (fda) of the first sclerite of right phallomere (R1) tapers to a narrow, rounded terminus with short, dispersed setae; the ventral plate (pia) strongly sclerotized proximally, the surface rough and with broad curved grooves; the ventral process (pva) c-shaped, the distal end with rough, micro-toothed surface on the inside edge of the inward curve.

Ootheca.

Unknown for the genus.

Etymology.

A substantivated adjective, the name is derived from the Latin noun "velox" meaning swift or rapid, an apt name for their amazing speed when running across tree trunks.