Ilomantis thalassina ( Saussure, 1899 )

Sydney K. Brannoch & Gavin J. Svenson, 2016, Leveraging female genitalic characters for generic and species delimitation in Nilomantis Werner, 1907 and Ilomantis Giglio-Tos, 1915 (Mantodea, Nilomantinae), Insect Systematics & Evolution 47, pp. 209-244 : 228-231

Ilomantis thalassina ( Saussure, 1899)

Tropidomantis thalassina Saussure, 1899: 593 ; Kirby, 1904: 227

Ilomantis [ Tropidomantis ] thalassina ( Saussure, 1899) Giglio-Tos, 1915: 46, 1927: 137 ; Paulian 1957: 30; Roy 1987: 121; Ehrmann, 2002: 193

Nilomantis [ Ilomantis ] thalassina ( Saussure, 1899) Beier 1935: 54 –55; Otte & Spearman 2005: 120 –121

Type species

Holotype ♂. Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany;

Allotype ♀. Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany.

Type location

Nosy Be, Madagascar.

Examined specimens

The list consists of 8 specimens. Madagascar: Ampijoroa, 1♂, Ankarafantsika, 170m, I-57, R.E., Insitut Scientifique de Madagascar, Genitalia No. 0 0 0 0 7 S. K. Brannoch ( MNHN); Distr. d’Ambanja, 1♀, Madagascar Nord, N. de Beangona-Ambevy, Vallée d’Antremabe, 400m, II-1964, P. Soga, Genitalia No. 0 0 0 0 9 S. K. Brannoch ( MNHN); Nossi Bé, 1♂, Voeltzkow, genitalia R. Roy No. 4072 ( MNHN); 2♀ ( MNHN); 1♀, 1900, Dr. Joly, Genitalia No. 0 0 0 0 8 S. K. Brannoch ( MNHN); Nossi Bé Sambirano, 2♀, J. de Coudenfiore ( MNHN); Toliara Prov., Réserve Spéciale de Cap Sainte Marie, 12.3 km, 262°W Marovato, elev. 200 m 11–15 Feb 2002, 23°34’54”S 45°10’6”E, coll: Fisher, Griswold et al., California Acad. of Sciences, at light in spiny forest thicket, collection code: BLF5501, CASENT 3006172, 5501, MN413 Primary Voucher, GSMC 000141 (CASENT).

Natural history

Specimens studied were collected between January and February in Northern Madagascar. No specific behavioral or ecological information is known from the literature.

Diagnosis

Pronotum with a medial keel that runs from the anterior margin of the prozone to the posterior margin of the metazone. Postcervical plate and exposed thoracic membrane of the cervix broad with an approximately hexagonal shape. Females (ca. 26.5–27 mm) relatively longer than males (ca. 22.5 mm); both females and males of this species are relatively longer than those within Ilomantis ginsburgae n.sp. Female genitalia: gonapophysis VIII (GA) with pronounced medial outgrowth (MO); gonoplac (GL) with divergent apical cleft (AC). Male genitalia: processo distale (pda) small, adjacent to a relatively rounded posterodextral margin; processo ventrale sclerificato (pva) slightly arched along the anterior margin with a relatively straight posterior margin. Distributed within the Southern region of the Republic of Madagascar. F =3DS/11–12AvS/4PvS; T =11–14AvS/12–14PvS.

Redescription (all measurements in mm, unless noted otherwise)

Female ( Fig. 1 A,B). Length 26.5–27.05; forewing length 18.58–19.6; hindwing length 19.2–20.56; pronotum length 5.32–5.53; prozone length 2.0–2.2; pronotum maximum width 1.95–2.13; pronotum minimum width 1.39–1.52; head width 4.56–4.58; head vertex to clypeus 1.63–1.97; frons width 1.76–1.85; frons height 0.47–0.53; prothoracic femur length 6.2–6.54; mesothoracic femur length 5.9–6.12; mesothoracic tibia length 4.10–4.17; mesothoracic tarsus length 3.06; metathoracic femur length 6.36–6.59; metathoracic tibia length 6.83–7.01; metathoracic tarsus length 4.27–4.74.

Head ( Fig. 7 A). Cranial vertex elevation yellow. Area posterior to the lateral ocelli concave. Ocelli reduced with relatively larger, lateral ocelli sitting within a slightly raised cylindrical ocellar tubercle; the smaller, unpaired median ocellus positioned anterior to a sulcus that lies medially between the unpaired ocellus and the antennal sclerites, spanning the distance between the antennae; area surrounding the median ocellus is very slightly raised. Antennae extend to mid-body.

Thorax. Pronotal medial keel reaching anterior margin ( Fig. 11 A). Postcervical plate and exposed thoracic membrane of the cervix broad with an approximately hexagonal shape ( Fig. 13 A). Forewings opaque with light green costal region, hindwings opaque to hyaline; costal vein of both fore- and hindwings with light ciliation.

Prothoracic legs. Femur maximum width ca. 1.3–1.5 times the value of the male femur maximum width. F =3DS/11–12AvS/4PvS; T =12–13AvS/12–14PvS.

Meso- and metathoracic legs. Lightly ciliated across surface with ciliation density increasing distally. Mesothoracic basitarsus approximately the same length as the remaining tarsal segments combined; metathoracic basitarsus 1.5 times longer than the remaining tarsal segments combined.

Abdomen. Supra-anal plate triangular, ciliated across the surface, narrower than the subgenital plate. Cerci filiform, tapering.

Genitalia ( Figs 3 A, 5A,B). Gonapophysis VIII (GA) moderately slender, variably ciliated, and visibly curved from both the ventral (VH) and lateral (LH) perspectives; GA is heavily surfaced with fossettes. From VH, GA angles inward; a rugose, sclerotized tubercle projects posterolaterad from this region; apical lobe (AL) ovoid; heavily ciliated. AL with a membrane that projects from the internal dorsal margin of the structure, forming a shallow pocket as the membrane merges with the dorsal margin of GA, lending AL the appearance of being bilobed or mitten-shaped. From LH, GA is curved ventrad; GA ventral margin features a tumescent medial outgrowth (MO), which projects posterior to the crest of the curve. GA dorsal margin is invaginated anterior to the curve towards the ventral habitus. Gonapophysis IX (GP) is relatively short, apically mammiform, and invaginated along the ventral margin; GP ventral margin features a subulate overhang, the medial tine (MT). Gonoplac (GL) is shorter than GA, broad, tumescent, variably ciliated, and obtusely arched ventrad; from LH, GL base has a rectangular dilation on the anteroventral margin. GL features a prominent apical cleft (AC) with divergent, blunted tines. From LH, GL possesses a pronounced sclerotization that traverses the length of the structure, terminating just before the AC. GL ventral and dorsal margins are sculpturate, rugose.

Male ( Fig. 1 C,D). Body length 22.49–22.51; forewing length 16.46–16.92; hindwing length 17.08–17.64; pronotum length 4.32–4.69; prozone length 1.69–1.81; pronotum maximum width 1.49–1.72; pronotum minimum width 1.08–1.36; head width 3.76–4.08; head vertex to clypeus 1.56–1.6; frons width 1.46–1.48; frons height 0.47–0.53; prothoracic femur length 5.22–5.48; mesothoracic femur length 5.35–5.7; mesothoracic tibia length 3.6–3.84; mesothoracic tarsus length 2.58–3.17; metathoracic femur length 5.53–5.71; metathoracic tibia length 6.02; metathoracic tarsus length 2.903.

Head ( Fig. 8 B). Cranial vertical margin and posterior half of lateral ocelli yellow. Area posterior to the lateral ocelli slightly concave. Ocelli well developed and sit atop a raised, ocellar tubercle; lateral ocelli relatively larger than unpaired, median ocellus. Reddish-brown pigmentation may or may not be present adjacent to the compound eyes, near the frontal sulci. Antennae extend past mid-abdomen.

Thorax. Pronotum as in females ( Fig. 11 B). Postcervical plate and exposed thoracic membrane of the cervix as in females ( Fig. 13 B). Wings generally hyaline and iridescent, light ciliation across surface of both fore- and hindwings.

Prothoracic legs. Femur maximum width ca. 0.7–0.75 times the value of the female femur maximum width. F =3DS/11–12AvS/4PvS; T =11–14AvS/13–14PvS.

Meso- and metathoracic legs. Lightly ciliated across surface with ciliation density increasing distally. Meso- and metathoracic basitarsus approximately the same length as the remaining tarsal segments combined.

Abdomen. Supra-anal plate triangular, ciliated across the surface; much narrower than the subgenital plate. Subgenital plate approximately rounded at the terminus. Cerci long, compressed, tapering. Styli short.

Genitalia ( Fig. 9 ). Dorsal sclerotization of the left phallomeric complex elongate anteriorly, broadening towards the posterior margin; anterior process (ap) moderately narrow, recurved, and lightly sclerotized; L4B dextral posterolateral margin rugose; apical process (paa) tumescent, recurved distally with a rounded and moderately sclerotized apical margin. Lobo membranoso (loa) relatively short, apex moderately sclerotized. Ventral sclerotization of the left phallomere complex (i.e., the ventral phallomere) (L4A) longer than wide with a slightly undulate and sclerotized antero-sinistral margin; L4A posterior region broad, lightly ciliated; processo distale (pda) pouch-shaped, rounded apically. Anterior apodeme (an) rounded anteriorly with a slightly sclerotized sinistral margin; processo ventrale sclerificato (pva) obtusely arched, tumescent, and heavily sclerotized along the posterior and dextral margins; piastra ventrale (pia) heavily sclerotized and linearly shaped with a triangular projection along the anterior margin; pia situated on the anterior margin of a membranous fold that features a generally straight, moderately sclerotized lateral margin. R1 posterior region ciliated with a slightly tapered, rounded posterior margin; right arm (bm) moderately narrow, pointed apically.

Figures

Fig. 1. Ilomantis thalassina. (A) Female, dorsal habitus; (B) female, ventral habitus; (C) male, dorsal habitus; (D) male, ventral habitus. This figure is published in colour in the online edition of this journal, which can be accessed via http: // booksandjournals. brillonline. com / content / journals / 1876312 x.

Fig. 3. Female genitalic complex of Ilomantis shown in the lateral perspective. (A) Ilomantis thalassina; (B) Ilomantis ginsburgae sp. n. Abbreviations: AC, apical cleft; AL, apical lobe; GA, gonapophysis VIII; GL, gonoplac; MO, medial outgrowth; RTD, rectangular dilation. This figure is published in colour in the online edition of this journal, which can be accessed via http: // booksandjournals. brillonline. com / content / journals / 1876312 x.

Fig. 7. Species distribution map for Nilomantis and Ilomantis species. Examined Nilomantis and Ilomantis specimens, as well as additional Nilomantis taxa listed in Roy & Leston (1975), have been incorporated. Collecting localities without coordinates were georeferenced using Google Earth. Ilomantis species are distributed within Madagascar; Nilomantis species are distributed across the Sahara-Sahel region of Africa, including Ghana, the Central African Republic, and Saudi Arabia. This figure is published in colour in the online edition of this journal, which can be accessed via http: // booksandjournals. brillonline. com / content / journals / 1876312 x.

Fig. 8. Illustrations of anterior perspective of the Ilomantis and Nilomantis head (scale bar = 1 mm). (A) Ilomantis thalassina, female; (B) Ilomantis thalassina, male; (C) Ilomantis ginsburgae sp. n., female; (D) Ilomantis ginsburgae sp. n., male; (E) Nilomantis floweri, female; (F) Nilomantis floweri, male. (B, D, E, F) Ilomantis species feature a cosinusoidal vertical margin, whereas Nilomantis species feature a relatively straight vertical margin. Gray markings on the ocellar tubercle and within the corridors of the frontal sulci represent the presence of reddish-brown markings. LF, lower frons.

Fig. 9. Male genitalic complex of Ilomantis thalassina. Abbreviations: an, anterior apodeme; ap, anterior process; bm, right arm; L 1, L 2, L 4 B, a sub-sclerite of the dorsal sclerotization of the left phallomeric complex; L 4 A, the ventral sclerotization of the left phallomeric complex; loa, lobo membranoso; paa, apical process; pda, processo distale; pia, piastra ventrale; pva, processo ventrale sclerificato; R 1, a sub-sclerite of the right phallomere; R 3, a sub-sclerite of the right phallomere. Red lettering indicates structures; black lettering indicates characters. This figure is published in colour in the online edition of this journal, which can be accessed via http: // booksandjournals. brillonline. com / content / journals / 1876312 x.

Fig. 11. Illustrations of dorsal perspective of the Ilomantis pronotum (scale bar = 1 mm). (A) Ilomantis thalassina, female; (B) Ilomantis thalassina, male; (C) Ilomantis ginsburgae sp. n., female; (D) Ilomantis ginsburgae sp. n., male. Ilomantis thalassina exhibits a medial keel that fully traverses the pronotum (A and B); Ilomantis ginsburgae sp. n. exhibits a medial keel that originates in the mid-prozone and concludes at the posterior pronotal margin (C and D). MK, medial keel.

Fig. 13. Illustrations of ventral perspective of the Ilomantis cervix (scale bar = 1 mm). (A) Ilomantis thalassina, female; (B) Ilomantis thalassina, male; (C) Ilomantis ginsburgae sp. n., female; (D) Ilomantis ginsburgae sp. n., male. The postcervical plate and exposed thoracic membrane are contained within the boundaries of the intercervical sclerites and the episternum, with either a broad (Ilomantis thalassina, A and B) or narrow (Ilomantis ginsburgae sp. n., C and D) hexagonal shape. Abbreviations: eps, episternum; etm, exposed thoracic membrane; ics, intercervical sclerite; lcs, lateral cervical sclerite; pcpl, postcervical plate; tss, T-shaped sclerite.