Leptocola phthisica ( Saussure, 1869 )

Schwarz, Christian J., Pohl, Marius & Frank, Erik T., 2023, A preliminary checklist of the praying mantids of Comoé National Park, Ivory Coast (Insecta: Mantodea), Zootaxa 5373 (1), pp. 1-64 : 47-49

Leptocola phthisica ( Saussure, 1869)

Figs. 162–164 , 167

Thespis phthisica Saussure, 1869: 70 .

= Leptocola giraffa Karsch, 1894: 276–277 .

Type localities. (T. p.) “ Brazil ”; (L. g.) M’banza Congo, Angola.

Distribution. Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Cameroon, Congo, Angola, CAR, DRC, South Sudan, Uganda ( Beier 1968, 1969; Chopard 1954; Gillon & Roy 1968; Karsch 1892; Prost & Roy 1986; Ragge & Roy 1967; Roy 1962a, 1963, 1965a, 1967, 1968a, 1969, 1970b, 1971c, 1975; Roy & Leston 1975; Werner 1928).

Records. CSC: ♀, new station, 03.IV.–12.V.2017, leg. juv. M. Pohl, ded. 09.XII.2017; ♁, new station, P-Gen. leg. M. Pohl 03.IV.–12.V.2017, captive bred, 08.IX.2018, ded. A. Varnhorn (genitalia preparation Schwarz No. 430); ♀, new station, P-Gen. leg. M. Pohl 03.IV.–12.V.2017, captive bred, 08.IX.2018, ded. A. Varnhorn; ♀, new station, P-Gen. leg. M. Pohl 03.IV.–12.V.2017, captive bred, 15.XII.2018, ded. A. Varnhorn.

Remarks. A very elongate grass habitat specialist.

Figures

FIGURES 160–164. Leptocola phthisica (Saussure, 1869). 160–161. Female. 162–164. Male. 160, 162. Dorsal view. 161, 163–164. Ventral view. 164. Genitalia.

FIGURES 165–167. Elongate Ivorian mantodeans, live aspect. 165. Ischnomantis werneri, subadult male. 166. Danuria (D.) buchholzi, male. 167. Leptocola phthisica, female exhibiting incomplete camouflage posture.