Corticomantis atricoxata (Beier, 1931)

Svenson, Gavin J., 2014, Revision of the Neotropical bark mantis genus Liturgusa Saussure, 1869 (Insecta, Mantodea, Liturgusini), ZooKeys 390, pp. 1-214 : 136-139

Corticomantis atricoxata (Beier, 1931)

Liturgusa atricoxata : Beier 1931: 14-15; Beier 1935: 11; La Greca 1939: 5; Weidner 1964: 143; Terra 1995: 53; Jantsch 1999: 48; Ehrmann 2002: 206; Otte and Spearman 2005: 132; Agudelo et al. 2007: 116.

Liturgousa atricoxata : Rehn 1935: 204.

Type.

Holotype Female. Biozentrum Grindel und Zoologisches Museum, Universität Hamburg, Germany.

Type locality.

Costa Rica. Limon Plain at Las Mercedes, Hamburg Farm on the Reventazon, 10-30 meters above the sea, 12-30 kilometers from the Atlantic, August 15, 1923, F. Nevermann collector. (Lat. 10.250000, Long. -83.450000).

Material examined.

Corticomantis atricoxata (Beier, 1931).

Taxonomic history.

First described by Max Beier, the species was referenced only a few times over the next 80 years and never treated in a comprehensive taxonomic study. However, Rehn (1935) suggested that the species did not really belong within Liturgusa based on its considerable differences in general appearance. Examining the male genitalia and redescribing the genus allowed description of numerous characters that distinguishes the species from all other Neotropical Liturgusini . More than one species likely exists, but only Corticomantis atricoxata is known; two larger females from Colombia have been examined but are not distinct other than size, but the poor condition of the specimens limits their evaluation. No males are known from Colombia, which makes species assessment with genitalia impossible.

Diagnosis.

A darkened, mottled appearance. Overall a squat species with robust legs and a short, broad pronotum and abdomen. The wings are marked with highly contrasting white or greenish and nearly black or dark brown markings. The lateral margins of the abdomen visible in females when the wings are folded over the abdomen.

Description.

Male. (Fig. 36A) N=3: Body length 18.68-19.64 (19.19); forewing length 13.04-13.42 (13.23); pronotum length 4.78-5.05 (4.91); prozone length 1.49-1.60 (1.56); pronotum width 2.50-2.56 (2.53); pronotum narrow width 1.88-1.90 (1.89); head width 4.60-4.70 (4.65); head vertex to clypeus 1.75-1.84 (1.78); frons width 1.60-1.65 (1.61); frons height 0.56-0.64 (0.60); prothoracic femur length 5.43-5.49 (5.46); mesothoracic femur length 6.56-6.63 (6.60); mesothoracic tibia length 4.92-5.05 (5.00); mesothoracic tarsus length 5.24-5.52 (5.38); metathoracic femur length 6.32-6.96 (6.71); metathoracic tibia length 6.94-7.06 (6.99); metathoracic tarsus length 7.35-7.65 (7.50); pronotal elongation measure 0.31-0.33 (0.32); pronotal shape measure 0.51-0.53 (0.52); head shape measure 0.38-0.39 (0.38); frons shape measure 0.35-0.39 (0.38); anteroventral femoral spine count 16; anteroventral tibial spine count 9; posteroventral tibial spine count 8.

Head (Fig. 46E): Juxta-ocular protuberances small; the vertex between the parietal sutures is straight; vertex lower than the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a faint curved carina. Ocelli small on protruding cuticular mounds. Head is dark brown with fine black speckling across the vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances, the frons, and parts of the clypeus.

Pronotum (Fig. 50I): Short and broad with a less defined supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface with tubercles of varying size and density. Broad prozone with lateral margins that taper anteriorly, the anterior margin rounded; a central depression medially on the dorsal surface. Metazone with lateral margins that are nearly parallel anteriorly, but taper dramatically to the narrowest point (the midpoint of the metazone) before becoming parallel anterior to the posterior terminus; the posterior margin rounded overall with the medial region being straight; posterior region with two blunt protrusions on each side of the medial line; the dorsal surface of the posterior half of the metazone depressed. Mostly pale in coloration with black speckling; two dark marks laterally on the posterior surface of the metazone.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur robust with a slightly concave dorsal margin distally, the proximal half slightly convex. Pale to dark banding on posterior (external) surface of femur, sometimes not well defined and degenerating into pale and dark speckling ventrally; anterior (internal) surface mostly black, but with pale regions dorsally; ventral surface mostly black with a pale margin just inside the posteroventral spines. Posterior prothoracic femoral genicular spine nearly the same length as the posteroventral spines, originating distal to the beginning of the genicular lobe. Prothoracic tibia with pale and dark banding on the anterior and posterior surface, the ventral surface mostly pale. Prothoracic coxae black anteriorly (internal side) with a small pale marking in the proximal half along the dorsal margin.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Femora with a pronounced dorsal and ventral (posterior) carina; posterior (upper) surface with two carinae, one running the nearly entire length, fading proximally and positioned ventrally to the dorsal carina, the other in the distal third and positioned parallel and between the previous and the ventral carina. Mesotarsi with first segment shorter than remaining segments combined. Metatarsi with first segment the same length as the remaining segments combined.

Wings: Forewings mottled with contrasting regions of brown, white, green, and black; the proximal quarter dark, then fading dramatically to a mottled white with a darkened spot on and around the pterostigma; the distal quarter of the wing mottled irregularly with half greenish white and half brownish black; the costal vein alternating from pale to dark its entire length while the costal region is mostly pale with banding in the distal quarter, but can be banded throughout its length; the costal region wide relative to the wing length, the width between 6.5-7.5% the total wing length. The forewings may be colored asymmetrically, one being mottled as described above while the other is blackened. Hindwings opaque and smoky; the terminus of the discoidal region projecting slightly beyond the distal margin of anal region, almost fitting within the outer margin of the wing.

Abdomen: Widening from first segment until the beginning of the distal half (segments 5-6) when the lateral margins narrow to the terminus, the middle being the broadest region. Tergites without pointed posterolateral projections. Supra-anal plate transverse with a blunt terminus. Subgenital plate of male with a rounded, slightly irregular terminus; without styli.

Genital Complex (Fig. 53E.1-E.3): Dextral genitalia with the main body of ventral left sclerite (L4A) with a prominent, heavily sclerotized distal process (pda) that forms a half circle, the terminus with a posterior orientation (Fig. 53, E.1 folded out and incorrectly position due to slide mounting). The apofisis falloid (afa) of the main body of dorsal left sclerite (L4B) well sclerotized with a smooth, blunt, rounded terminus, and long, robust setae of varying length emerging from the lateral margin of the afa; the apical process (paa) heavily sclerotized and curved, including a medial bump before ending with a smooth and rounded terminus. The right dorsal phallomere (fda) of the first sclerite of right phallomere (R1) tapers to a rounded terminus and is mostly membranous with disperse fine setae; the ventral plate (pia) strongly sclerotized and small with a blunt knob nearest to the ventral process (pva); the ventral process (pva) strongly sclerotized and small with an irregular shape, almost resembling a tooth.

Redescription.

Female. (Figs 36B, 37C) N=6: Body length 21.41-24.72 (22.95); forewing length 14.02-18.38 (15.63); hindwing length 12.41-15.10 (13.95); pronotum length 5.69-6.55 (6.05); prozone length 1.85-2.15 (1.96); pronotum width 3.09-3.34 (3.20); pronotum narrow width 2.29-2.44 (2.36); head width 5.52-5.91 (5.70); head vertex to clypeus 2.24-2.36 (2.30); frons width 1.98-2.24 (2.12); frons height 0.67-0.84 (0.78); prothoracic femur length 6.32-7.86 (6.95); mesothoracic femur length 6.51-7.40 (7.11); mesothoracic tibia length 5.25-5.69 (5.53); mesothoracic tarsus length 5.26-5.85 (5.62); metathoracic femur length 6.77-8.28 (7.55); metathoracic tibia length 7.23-8.85 (7.92); metathoracic tarsus length 7.42-8.90 (8.19); pronotal elongation measure 0.31-0.35 (0.32); pronotal shape measure 0.51-0.55 (0.53); head shape measure 0.39-0.41 (0.40); frons shape measure 0.30-0.42 (0.37); anteroventral femoral spine count 15-16 (16); anteroventral tibial spine count 9-10 (9); posteroventral tibial spine count 8.

Head (Fig. 46F): Juxta-ocular protuberances large and pronounced, the vertex between the parietal sutures is straight; vertex higher than the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a pronounced curved carina. Ocelli small and positioned laterally on a prominent, continuous curved carina. Head is brown with fine black speckling across the vertex and more dense on the juxta-ocular protuberances; frons and parts of the clypeus exhibit small black markings as well.

Pronotum (Fig. 50J): As described for males.

Prothoracic Legs: Posterior prothoracic femoral genicular spine slightly smaller than the posteroventral spines, originating distal to the genicular lobe.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: As described for males.

Wings: As described for males.

Abdomen: As described for males.