Liturgusa tessae, 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 : 67-71

Liturgusa tessae sp. n.

Type.

Holotype Male, pinned. Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland, OH, USA

Type locality.

Bolivia: La Paz Dept., Ituralde Prov., San Miguel, 14°30.602'S, 67°29.555'W, 24-30 Sept 2007, Coll: K.B. Miller et al. (Lat. -14.510033, Long. -67.492583)

Material examined.

Liturgusa tessae sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Very similar to Liturgusa maya in size and shape, but with an even color patterning on the forewings, lacking highly contrasting regions. The hindwings for Liturgusa tessae are very rusty colored in males and pale to rusty colored in females along the anterior half of the discoidal region. The male genitalia are distinct in that the ventral left sclerite (L4A) is elongate, the terminus tapers narrowly before giving rise to a short, blunt distal process (pda).

Description.

Male. (Fig. 16A) N=9: Body length 19.23-23.89 (22.12); forewing length 13.88-15.21 (14.61); hindwing length 10.95-12.13 (11.47); pronotum length 5.71-6.65 (6.13); prozone length 1.68-2.00 (1.82); pronotum width 2.36-2.62 (2.48); pronotum narrow width 1.64-1.92 (1.76); head width 4.70-5.51 (5.03); head vertex to clypeus 1.90-2.16 (1.97); frons width 1.64-1.95 (1.77); frons height 0.61-0.69 (0.65); prothoracic femur length 5.73-6.64 (6.12); mesothoracic femur length 6.92-8.47 (7.67); mesothoracic tibia length 5.54-6.65 (5.97); mesothoracic tarsus length 4.84-5.70 (5.17); metathoracic femur length 7.23-8.63 (7.80); metathoracic tibia length 7.78-9.23 (8.27); metathoracic tarsus length 7.25-8.35 (7.61); pronotal elongation measure 0.29-0.31 (0.30); pronotal shape measure 0.39-0.43 (0.41); head shape measure 0.37-0.40 (0.39); frons shape measure 0.35-0.42 (0.37); anteroventral femoral spine count 14-15 (14); anteroventral tibial spine count 9-10 (10); posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 42C): Transverse, the juxta-ocular protuberances small, the apex in the lateral half; the vertex slightly concave, slightly above the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a slight medial carina forming a continuous arc. Ocelli small, the central slightly larger than lateral two, all three protruding on small cuticular mounds; the lateral ocelli oriented outward. The carina on the frons thin, the medial region just ventral to the carina depressed. Clypeus transverse, the upper margin slightly convex, the lower margin slightly concave or straight; the central, transverse carina pronounced and straight. Antennae scape and pedicel pale, the flagellum fading to black in the proximal quarter. Black band extending straight over the medial carina of the frontal suture, the carina pale; black markings extend ventrally and dorsally from black band; two prominent pale marks positioned just lateral to the lateral ocelli; two pale marks positioned on the medial region of the vertex. Lower region of frons pigmented brown; the dorsolateral corners of clypeus with brown spots, the rest is pale; the mandibles and labrum with pale and brown markings; the vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances mostly pale with brown or black speckling; the area immediately adjacent to lateral ocelli black. Palpi are pale.

Pronotum (Fig. 47S): About 2.5 times long as wide with a moderately defined supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface with very small, disperse tubercles in the posterior half. Prozone a little broader than long with near parallel margins that gradually taper to an evenly rounded anterior margin; margins with few blunt tubercles. Metazone with concave lateral margins, the medial region flat or slightly bulging outward; margins with small tubercles; posterior margin with a shallow medial emargination; the dorsal surface of the posterior third of the metazone depressed. Mostly pale or light brown with brown and black markings across the surface, two prominent black marks present in the posterolateral corners.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur normal with a slightly concave dorsal margin; strongly defined pale to dark banding on posterior (external) surface; anterior (internal) surface with a black mark near the base and a medial black band beginning in the distal half and terminating near the end of the femur; the ventral surface pale. Posterior surface of femur with few tubercles. A shallow femoral pit to accommodate terminal posteroventral tibial spine positioned medial to and between the first two proximal posteroventral spines, in line with the most distal discoidal spine; pit is pale. Posterior prothoracic femoral genicular spine smaller than posteroventral spines (highly variable), originating distal to the beginning of the genicular lobe. Prothoracic tibial posteroventral spines with the first (proximal) smallest and the third through sixth of similar length, the second slightly longer. Prothoracic coxae smooth, the anterior surface with a black mark medially in the proximal half.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Femora with ventral (posterior) carina; dorsal (anterior) carina present. Mesotarsi with first segment as long or slightly shorter than the remaining segments combined.

Wings: Forewings mottled with brown, pale and greenish coloration; the costal region without strongly defined banding, mostly pale with dispersed brown markings; vein coloration matching the corresponding surrounding cell colors; lacking noticeable central or proximal pale markings, the wing having evenly mottled coloration that is not highly contrasting. Forewings asymmetrically colored; one being mottled as described the other is darkened with a rust tone, the mottled pattern still visible; extending just beyond the abdomen. Hindwings rust colored (more pale proximally), the discoidal region more opaque, but translucent near the boundary with the anal region; the anal region translucent and rusty colored; the terminus of the discoidal region projecting beyond the distal margin of anal region, the wing appearing elongate.

Abdomen: Slightly widened in the middle, the fourth tergite the widest region before a gradual posterior narrowing; a smooth, light brown or rust coloration. Tergites without posterolateral tergal projections. Supra-anal plate slightly transverse, a broadly rounded terminus. Subgenital plate irregularly rounded and without styli.

Genital Complex (Fig. 51J.1-J.6): The main body of ventral left sclerite (L4A) elongate, the terminus tapering to a narrow point; a short, blunt distal process (pda) is centrally positioned; the right margin in the distal quarter highly sclerotized, extending to the terminus of the pda; an elliptical depression on left half is present. The apofisis falloid (afa) of the main body of dorsal left sclerite (L4B) short, quickly narrowing to a sharp point, the lower margin concave and often irregular, leading to a secondary process that is short and rounded; the apical process (paa) broad and elongate, tapering to a narrow and rounded terminus. The right dorsal phallomere (fda) of the first sclerite of right phallomere (R1) broad, tapering slightly to a rounded, blunt and membranous terminus; the ventral plate (pia) long, broad proximally with strongly defined grooves; the ventral process (pva) enlarged, c-shaped with a smooth surface, the distal tip broad and rounded.

Female. (Fig. 16B) N=7: Body length 23.65-29.63 (26.24); forewing length 14.71-18.43 (16.76); hindwing length 12.34-13.05 (12.7); pronotum length 6.77-7.86 (7.10); prozone length 1.99-2.27 (2.12); pronotum width 2.74-3.16 (2.93); pronotum narrow width 1.99-2.37 (2.14); head width 5.65-6.34 (5.98); head vertex to clypeus 2.35-2.64 (2.51); frons width 2.20-2.55 (2.38); frons height 0.74-0.98 (0.84); prothoracic femur length 6.68-7.83 (7.08); mesothoracic femur length 7.72-9.45 (8.33); mesothoracic tibia length 5.87-7.49 (6.57); mesothoracic tarsus length 5.23-6.39 (5.68); metathoracic femur length 7.80-9.66 (8.54); metathoracic tibia length 8.46-10.72 (9.46); metathoracic tarsus length 7.89-9.15 (8.34); pronotal elongation measure 0.29-0.31 (0.30); pronotal shape measure 0.39-0.43 (0.41); head shape measure 0.41-0.44 (0.42); frons shape measure 0.33-0.39 (0.35); anteroventral femoral spine count 14-15 (14); anteroventral tibial spine count 10; posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 42D): Slightly transverse, the juxta-ocular protuberances large, the apex just lateral of the middle; the vertex concave, above the dorsal margin of the eyes. Ocelli positioned on a small carina connecting all three. Antennae scape and pedicel pale, the flagellum fading to black by the middle. In addition to the black band extending straight over the medial carina, the anterior face, vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances mottled with pale, brown and black markings. Lower region of frons pigmented brown or light brown; the clypeus, mandibles, and labrum with pale and brown markings.

Pronotum (Fig. 47T): As described for males.

Prothoracic Legs: Anterior (internal) surface of femur with a black mark near the base and a medial black band that may be interrupted or degraded beginning in the distal half and terminating near the end of the femur. A shallow femoral pit that is pigmented brown or pale.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: As described for males.

Wings: Forewings may be asymmetrically colored like in males; extending almost to the terminus of the abdomen, but the supra-anal plate still visible. Hindwings smoky colored with a rusty base and anterior margin, opaque; the terminus of the discoidal region projecting a little beyond the distal margin of anal region, the wing appearing moderately elongate.

Abdomen: Moderately widened.

Etymology.

A noun in the genitive case, Liturgusa tessae is named for my daughter Tessa Eliza Svenson.