Liturgusa cursor Rehn, 1950

Svenson, Gavin J., 2014, Revision of the Neotropical bark mantis genus Liturgusa Saussure, 1869 (Insecta, Mantodea, Liturgusini), ZooKeys 390, pp. 1-214 : 79-83

Liturgusa cursor Rehn, 1950

Liturgusa annulipes : Rehn 1935: 199, pl. 8, fig. 4.

Liturgousa cursor : Rehn 1950: 369-376, Figs 6-11; Hughes-Schrader 1950: 11-14, 27, 38, 45, Table 1, Fig. 11; Hughes-Schrader 1951: 178, 183-184, 186-187, Tables 1-2, Fig. 3; Hughes-Schrader 1953: 544-554; Henderson 1965: 215; Otte 1978: 76;

Liturgusa cursor : Terra 1995: 54; Jantsch 1999: 48; Ehrmann 2002: 207; Otte and Spearman 2005: 133; Agudelo et al. 2007: 116.

Type.

Holotype Male. Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA, Type no. 5761.

Type locality.

Panama, Barro Colorado Island, Gatun Lake, Canal Zone, December 31, 1948. (Dr. Franz Schrader, no. 630.) (Lat. 9.164966, Long. -79.837098).

Material examined.

Liturgusa cursor Rehn, 1950.

Taxonomic history.

Described in 1950 by James Rehn, the species was originally identified as Liturgusa annulipes by Rehn in his 1935 work on Orthoptera of Costa Rica. Rehn later recognized that the species was unique, recording specimens mainly from Barro Colorado in Panama, but including one specimen from Costa Rica. We found the species in southern Nicaragua as well, which is a new record for that country. Interestingly, the species was included in a number of studies focused on chromosomes headed by Sally Hughes-Schrader in the 1940's and into the 60's. Other than being included in species records for regional studies and taxonomic lists, the species has received no taxonomic attention since its original description.

Natural history.

Encountered commonly in lowland tropical forest in southern Nicaragua. Individuals were present on trees in agricultural fields, secondary forest as well as primary forest regions, but with lower densities. Usually found positioned head down on the tree trunk and varying elevations. Individuals ran rapidly up and/or to the opposite side of the trunk when approached. All trees were smooth bark. Found living sympatrically with Liturgusa fossetti , Liturgusa maya , and Corticomantis atricoxata .

Diagnosis.

A small, slender species like Liturgusa dominica and Liturgusa milleri , but restricted in distribution to Central America. The forewings of males are colored asymmetrically while Liturgusa dominica and Liturgusa milleri both have symmetrically colored forewings; the costal region in males and females with a contrasting green color in newly preserved specimens, but usually faded to pale in older specimens. The genitalia of males are unique among Liturgusa with an elongate and narrowed distal terminus of the right dorsal phallomere (fda) of the first sclerite of right phallomere (R1).

A thorough description of the species was provided by Rehn (1950) and can be referred to in addition to the standardized description provided herein.

Redescription.

Male. (Fig. 19A) N=11: Body length 19.23-22.61 (20.94); forewing length 12.00-13.18 (12.57); hindwing length 9.34-9.84 (9.52); pronotum length 6.27-7.01 (6.66); prozone length 1.82-2.07 (1.99); pronotum width 1.99-2.17 (2.09); pronotum narrow width 1.32-1.54 (1.39); head width 4.37-4.74 (4.51); head vertex to clypeus 1.69-1.85 (1.76); frons width 1.39-1.56 (1.47); frons height 0.53-0.74 (0.60); prothoracic femur length 6.03-6.70 (6.33); mesothoracic femur length 8.41-9.37 (8.71); mesothoracic tibia length 6.42-7.28 (6.67); mesothoracic tarsus length 5.81-6.78 (6.31); metathoracic femur length 8.18-9.23 (8.56); metathoracic tibia length 8.68-9.83 (8.93); metathoracic tarsus length 9.72-11.46 (10.23); pronotal elongation measure 0.29-0.30 (0.30); pronotal shape measure 0.30-0.33 (0.32); head shape measure 0.38-0.40 (0.39); frons shape measure 0.38-0.47 (0.41); anteroventral femoral spine count 14-15 (15); anteroventral tibial spine count 9; posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 43E): Slightly transverse, the juxta-ocular protuberances small, the apex in the lateral half; the vertex between the parietal sutures with two convex regions, the medial line being slightly depressed; vertex slightly lower than the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a medial carina forming a continuous arc. Ocelli small and positioned on the edge of a blunt, curved carina that connects all three ocelli, continuing slightly beyond the lateral ocelli. Frons transverse, the lower portion narrowed under the antennal insertions. Lateral ocelli oriented outward. Upper margin of clypeus convex, lower margin straight; a medial transverse ridge moderately pronounced, rounded. Antennae pale basally, fading almost immediately to black. Two black spots lateral to the frontal suture at the base of each parietal suture; lower region of frons with a broad black band; the clypeus mostly pale with two brown spots in the upper corners; the mandibles pale with lateral darkening; the labrum with a pale upper region and a brown to black lower region; the vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances with brown and black markings; thin, black margins surround the ocelli. Palpi are pale.

Pronotum (Fig. 48G): Elongate with a defined supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface smooth. Prozone elongate with gradually widening margins before tapering anteriorly to a rounded anterior margin; the lateral margins smooth. Metazone with concave lateral margins, narrowing quickly posterior to the supra-coxal bulge to the midpoint, then widening gradually until reaching the rounded posterior terminus; margins with few small tubercles; posterior margin barely medially emarginate; the dorsal surface of the posterior third of the metazone barely depressed. Pale coloration dominant with strong black marks near the anterior and posterior margins and symmetrical black swirls on the supra-coxal bulge.

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 black band running medially from the base to terminus, often interrupted medially; a broad black mark at the base and just distal to the tibial spur groove; the ventral surface pale. Posterior surface of femur with few tubercles. A well developed femoral pit to accommodate terminal posteroventral tibial spine positioned medial to the most proximal posteroventral spine; pit is pale. Posterior prothoracic femoral genicular spine slightly smaller than posteroventral spines, originating distal to the beginning of the genicular lobe. Prothoracic tibial posteroventral spines with the first (proximal) smallest and the fourth through sixth of similar length, the second and third are longer (the second being the longest). Prothoracic coxae smooth; the anterior surface with a small, black band medially in the proximal half as well as a black spot medially towards the distal terminus.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Femora with a faint ventral (posterior) carina; dorsal (anterior) carina faint. Mesotarsi with first segment as long or longer than remaining segments combined.

Wings: Forewings mottled with pale, brown, and green coloration; the costal region with pale/green and dark near regular banding; the discoidal region evenly mottled with large brown and pale color markings. Forewings often colored asymmetrically, one being mottled as described above while the other is rust colored with the mottled pattern still visible; extending to around the terminus of the abdomen. Hindwings smoky black, but translucent, the discoidal region darker and more opaque; the discoidal region narrowed; the costal region dark brown proximally; the terminus of the discoidal region projecting slightly beyond the distal margin of anal region.

Abdomen: Elongate, tubular with slight widening before posterior narrowing; a smooth brown and black colored dorsal surface. Supra-anal plate highly transverse, tapering quickly to a broad, blunt and wide terminus. Subgenital plate irregularly rounded and without styli.

Genital Complex (Fig. 52C.1-C.3): The main body of ventral left sclerite (L4A) with a narrowed, but rounded terminus, lacking a distal process (pda); an elliptical depression on the lateral half is present. The apofisis falloid (afa) of the main body of dorsal left sclerite (L4B) elongate and finger-like, margins narrowing before reaching an expanded and bulbous terminal end, either straight or curved; the apical process (paa) short, curved and with a rounded end. The right dorsal phallomere (fda) of the first sclerite of right phallomere (R1) tapers dramatically to a narrowed and membranous terminus, almost pointed, but the tip is blunt; the ventral plate (pia) short and tooth-like; the ventral process (pva) c-shaped and smooth.

Redescription.

Female. (Figs 1A, 19B) N=11: Body length 24.15-29.52 (26.39); forewing length 13.83-16.18 (14.73); hindwing length 10.73-12.71 (11.46); pronotum length 7.37-8.32 (7.88); prozone length 2.20-2.49 (2.35); pronotum width 2.38-2.78 (2.58); pronotum narrow width 1.55-2.02 (1.74); head width 5.23-5.48 (5.35); head vertex to clypeus 2.19-2.38 (2.28); frons width 1.85-1.97 (1.90); frons height 0.71-0.86 (0.79); prothoracic femur length 7.19-7.97 (7.64); mesothoracic femur length 9.28-10.45 (9.84); mesothoracic tibia length 7.25-8.09 (7.73); mesothoracic tarsus length 6.73-7.43 (7.10); metathoracic femur length 9.25-10.53 (9.80); metathoracic tibia length 9.88-10.99 (10.33); metathoracic tarsus length 10.70-11.61 (11.11); pronotal elongation measure 0.29-0.31 (0.30); pronotal shape measure 0.31-0.35 (0.33); head shape measure 0.41-0.46 (0.43); frons shape measure 0.38-0.44 (0.42); anteroventral femoral spine count 14-15 (15); anteroventral tibial spine count 9-10 (9); posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 43F): As broad is high, the juxta-ocular protuberances large, the apex in the lateral half; the vertex between the parietal sutures concave; vertex slightly higher than the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a medial carina forming a high and continuous arc. Lateral ocelli oriented anterolaterally. Clypeus slightly transverse, upper margin convex, lower margin straight. Antennae pale basally, fading almost immediately to black. Black markings surround frontal suture, are present on the vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances. Lower region of frons with a broad black band; the mandibles pale with distal darkening; the labrum mostly pale with a brown medial strip.

Pronotum (Fig. 48H): Margins of prozone with few small tubercles.

Prothoracic Legs: As described for males.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: As described for males.

Wings: Forewings colored symmetrically; shorter than the abdomen, reaching the fifth or sixth tergite. Hindwings with the costal region light brown proximally; this distal margin of the discoidal region pale or light brown.

Abdomen: Widening from first segment until the beginning of the distal half (segments 4-5) when the lateral margins narrow to the terminus, the middle being the broadest region. Tergites without posterolateral tergal projections. Supra-anal plate highly transverse, evenly rounded.