Rhodomantis queenslandica (Sjöstedt)

Milledge, Graham A., 2014, A revision of Rhodomantis Giglio-Tos, 1917 (Mantodea: Mantidae: Mantinae), Zootaxa 3797 (1), pp. 39-64 : 43-45

Rhodomantis queenslandica (Sjöstedt)

( Figs. 5–6 , 25–26 , 51–52 , 53 )

Truxomantis queenslandica Sjöstedt, 1918: 31–33 .

Rhodomantis queenslandica (Sjöstedt) — Tindale, 1923: 444.

Rhodomantis gracilis Tindale, 1923: 444 . n. syn.

Rhodomantis carinicollis ( Werner, 1933: 445) n. syn.

Euchomenella finoti Roy, 2001 — Roy, 2002: 169–70.

Type material examined. Syntype male and syntype female of Truxomantis queenslandica , Queensland, Alice

River, Sep, Mjöberg ( NHRS KAJO 000000072 & KAJO 000000073). Holotype male of Rhodomantis gracilis, Connexion I., Groote Eylandt , Northern Territory, N.B. Tindale, Apr 1922 I14063 ( SAM) . Holotype male and paratype female of Truxomantis carinicollis, Burnside , Northern Territory, May 1931, Handschin ( NMB) .

Other material examined. Queensland. 1♂, Croll Ck. , 19 km N of Coen, 19 Jul 1995, M.S. Moulds . 1♂, Prince of Wales Island, 13 Feb 1975, E. Cameron . 1♂, same data except 6–15 Feb 1975 (all AM) . 1♀, Coen , 13°56’S 143°12’E, 18 Jul 1986, D.C.F. Rentz . 1♂, Coen aerodrome, 22 km NNW of Coen, 29 Apr 1962, K.H.L. Key . 2♂ Hann River , 73 km WNW of Laura, 15°12’S 143°52’E, 27 Jun 1986, D.C.F. Rentz . 1♂, 9 km SSE of Westmoreland H.S., 29 May 1975, Balderson & Freeman . 2♂, 10.5 km NW of Yorke Downs H.S., 12°44’S 142°13’E, 4 May 1981, K.H.L. Key (all ANIC) . 1♂, Cairns , 1–6 Jun 1951, C. Oke . 2♂, 21 km W of Georgetown , 1 Apr 1990, J. Hasenpusch (all NMV) .

Northern Territory. 1♂, 30 km W of Katherine , 14°40’48”S 132°05’06”E, 24 Jan 2004, Cooley, Hill, Marshal & Moulds ( AM) . 2♂, Alpha Ck. , 35 km W of Timber Creek township, 8 Jan 1986, M.S. & B.J. Moulds . 1♂, Berrimah , 4 Mar 1972, J.L. McKean . 1♂, Black Point, Cobourg Peninsula , 11°09’S 132°09’E, 8 Feb 1977, Lewis & Barrett . 2♀, Bukalara Range , 47 km SSW of Borroloola, 16°28’S 136°09E, 23 Apr 1976, Key, Balderson et al . 1♂, 31 km NW of Mt Bundey , 12°41’S 131°32’E, 24 Oct 1972, K.H.L. Key . 1♀, 5 km NNW of Cahills Crossing, East Alligator River , 12°23’S 132°57’E, K.H.L. Key . 1♀, 10 km ENE of Mt Cahill , 12°50’S 132°47’E, 23 May 1973, K.H.L. Key . 1♂, 1♀, 16 km NE of Mt Cahill , 12°50’S 132°51’E, 13 Jun 1973, M.S. Upton & J.E. Feehan . 1♀, same data except 30 Oct 1972, K.H.L. Key . 1♂, 1♀, same data except 29 Oct 1972 . 1♂, same data except 23 May 1973 . 1♂, 18 km E of Mt Cahill , 12°51’S 132°51’E, 8 Mar 1973, K.H.L. Key et al . 2♀, 15–17 km E of Mt Cahill , 12°52’S 132°50’E, 6 Mar 1973, K.H.L. Key . 1♂, same data except 9 Mar 1973 . 1♀, Calman Ck., Cobourg Peninsula , 11°14’S 132°12’E, 13 Feb 1977, R.C. Lewis . 1♀, Caranbirini Waterhole , 33 km SW of Borroloola, 16°16’S 136°05’E, 21 Apr 1976, Key, Balderson et al . 1♀, Cooper Ck , 1 km SW of Nimbuwah Rock, 2 Nov 1972, K.H.L. Key . 2♂, 9 km WNW of Dhupunna Coll., near Nhulunbuy , 12°21’S 136°44’E, 19 May 1975, Key, Balderson & Freeman . 1♀, 24 km ESE of Humpty Doo , 20 Jul 1983, R.C. Lewis . 1♀, Koongarra , 15 km E of Mt Cahill, 26 Apr 1974, J.L. Curtis . 1♀, Kurangie Swamp, 50 km NE of Nourlangie Camp, Kakadu N.P., 26 Oct 1982, M.King . 1♀, Magela Ck. , 9 km SSE of Mudginbarry H.S., 12°40’S 132° 54’E, 6 Nov 1972, K.H.L. Key et al . 1♂, McArthur River , 14 km SW of Cape Crawford, 16°47’S 135°45’E, 12 Apr 1976, Key, Balderson et al . 1♀, McArthur River H.S., 16°40’S 135°51’E, 13 Apr 1976, Key, Balderson et al. 1♂, 22 km N of Newcastle waters, 23 Oct 1965, A. Mesa & R. Sandulski . 1♂, 1♀, Nourlangie Ck., 8 km N of Mt Cahill, 12°48’S 132°42’E, 21 May 1973, K.H.L. Key et al . 1♀, same data except 27 Oct 1972 . 1♀, 3 km NW of Nhulunbuy , 12°10’S 136°46’E, 18 May 1975, Key, Balderson & Freeman . 1♀, 8 km NW of Pine Creek , 30 Mar 1955, K.H.L. Key . 1♀, 4 km E of Reef Point, Cobourg Peninsula , 11°11’S 132°12’E, 4 Feb 1977, R.C. Lewis . 1♀, Smith Point, Cobourg Peninsula , 11°07’S 132°08’E, 4 Feb 1977, R.C. Lewis . 2♂, same data except 6 Feb 1977 . 1♀, same data except 8 Feb 1977 . 1♂, same data except 12 Feb 1977 . 2♂, same data except 13 Feb 1977 . 2♂, same data except 15 Feb 1977 . 1♂, same data except 18 Feb 1977 . 1♂, 1♀, same data except 19 Feb 1977 . 1♂, same data except 20 Feb 1977 . 2♂, same data except 21 Feb 1977 . 1♂, same data except 23 Jan 1977 . 1♂, same data except 19 Feb 1977, T.A. Weir . 2♂, same data except 14 Jan 1977, R.A. Farrow . 1♂, 1♀, 1.5 km SE of Smith Point, Cobourg Peninsula , 14 Jul 1965, K.H.L. Key ( ANIC) . 1♂, 1♀, Darwin , May 1979, G. Milledge . 1♂, King River , 24 Dec 1915 (all NMV) . 1♂, Gorge NE of Mt Gilruth, 13°02’S 133°05’E, 10-13 Jul 1979, G. Monteith & D. Cook ( QM) . 1♂, Darwin, G.F. Hill. 1♂, Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory, N.B. Tindale ( SAM) .

Diagnosis. Males of this species can be distinguished from others in the genus by being only slightly brachypterous, by the hindwing lacking an apical spot and by the genitalia having the combination of compact pa and blunt dpr without serrate anterio-lateral margin ( Figs. 25–26 ). Females can be separated from those of R. macula and R. microptera by having terminal hooks on the ventral ovipositor lobes and from R. rentzi by having the tegmina reaching well beyond the caudal margin of the first abdominal tergite.

Description. Body ( Figs. 5–6 ) elongate and slender. Colour brown, yellow brown or grey brown—the colour of dry grass. Frontal shield with strong subanntenal ridge. Ocelli of male not well developed, of female poorly developed. Antennae of male about two thirds the length of prothorax, of female about one half to two thirds the length of prothorax. Prothorax rather elongate, metazone of pronotum with distinct dorsolateral carinae which become indistinct anteriorly and posteriorly. Foreleg with coxa distinctly shorter than metazone, femur with claw groove situated slightly distal of midpoint. Male volant but slightly brachypterous, wings reaching to caudal margin of fourth abdominal tergite; tegmen with costal area opaque cream coloured with thin blackish line on posterior margin; discoidal area semi opaque, sometimes flecked with darker spots; anal lobe slightly infumate; hindwing with costal and discoidal areas semi opaque, mostly reddish brown; anal area usually completely infumate, darker proximally, with contrasting transparent areas at cross veins creating speckled appearance. Female strongly brachypterous, wings reaching almost to caudal margin of second abdominal tergite; tegmen opaque, costal area similar in colour to male or similar in colour to discoidal area, discoidal area sometimes flecked with darker spots, anal lobe infumate; hindwing opaque, costal and discoidal areas reddish brown in proximal two thirds, anal area dark brownish black with slight bluish sheen, contrasting transparent areas at cross veins sparse and limited to anterior third or absent. Abdomen elongate and slender, supra-anal plate triangular, cerci reaching beyond tip of abdomen in male, to about tip of abdomen in female. Male genitalia ( Figs. 25–26 ) with dpr short, truncate, narrowing before tip, with slightly to well developed posterior projection and sometimes anterior projection; pa compact with small blunt projections anteriorly and posteriorly; medial lobe of vph prominent and curved dorsally, anterior portion of vph broad; apr rather elongate and narrowed distally but with blunt tip. Female ventral ovipositor valves with hooks.

Measurements (mm). Body length, ♂ 45.5 (36.2–50.4), ♀ 55.1 (45.6–62.9). Pronotum length, ♂ 15.8, ♀ 20.5. Pronotum width, ♂ 1.7, ♀ 2.5. Forecoxa length, ♂ 7.3, ♀ 9.5. Forefemur length, ♂ 9.2, ♀ 12.7. Tegmen length, ♂ 17.3, ♀ 10.2. Abdomen length, ♂ 21.9, ♀ 26.3.

Immature stages. Nymphs similar in appearance to adults. Ootheca ( Figs. 51–52 ) short in length, cream or pale brown coloured, laid in soil (J. Balderson pers. comm.).

Distribution and habits. Found across northern Australia from Cape York in Queensland to the north west corner of the Northern Territory ( Fig. 53 ) in dry grasses.

Remarks. Roy (2002) illustrates the genitalia of one of the male syntypes (NHRS KAJO000000072) of this species. The form of the dpr of the male genitalia varies gradually from east, where there is a distinct anterior projection, to west where this projection is absent.

Figures

FIGURE 53. Rhodomantis species distributions. R. pulchella (Tepper) (circle with cross); R. helenae n. sp. (black circle); R. queenslandica (Sjöstedt) (black triangle); R. kimberley n. sp. (black cross); R. mitchell n. sp. (circle with black centre); R. napier n. sp. (black star).

FIGURES 1–6. Rhodomantis, dorsal habitus. R. pulchella (Tepper): 1, male; 2, male wings; 3, female; female wings. R. queenslandica (Sjöstedt): 5, male; 6, female.

FIGURES 23–26. Rhodomantis, male genitalia. R. pulchella (Tepper): 23, dorsal aspect, left and ventral phallomeres (ml = median lobe, pa = phalloid apophysis, apr = apical process); 24, ventral aspect, right and ventral phallomeres (vph = ventral phallomere, dpr = distal process). R. queenslandica (Sjöstedt): 25, dorsal aspect, left and ventral phallomeres; 26, ventral aspect, right and ventral phallomeres. Scales = 1mm.

FIGURES 41–52. Rhodomantis, terminal abdominal segments of females and oothecae. R. pulchella (Tepper) abdomen: 41, dorsal; 42, dorsolateral; 43 ventral. R. macula n. sp. abdomen: 44, dorsal; 45, dorsolateral; 46, ventral. R. microptera n. sp. abdomen: 47, dorsal; 48, dorsolateral; 49, ventral. Oothecae: 50, R. pulchella; 51, R. queenslandica (Sjöstedt); 52, R. queenslandica, laid in soil.