Tuberonotha Handschin

Snyman, Louwrens P., Sole, Catherine L. & Ohl, Michael, 2018, A revision of and keys to the genera of the Mantispinae of the Oriental and Palearctic regions (Neuroptera: Mantispidae), Zootaxa 4450 (5), pp. 501-549 : 515-516

Genus Tuberonotha Handschin

Tuberonotha Handschin, 1961 . Type species: Mаntispа strenuа ( Gerstaecker, 1888) , by original designation.

Distribution: Palearctic, Oriental, and Australasia: Japan, India to Australia.

Diagnosis ( Fig. 10 ): Tuberonotha can be distinguished from other Oriental and Palearctic genera by the conspicuous irregularly rugose pronotum, distinct constriction posterior to maculae followed by prominent dorsal hump on midzone ( Fig. 10 a–b ) of pronotum, the lack of pigmentation in the wings, and the body colouration. These mantispines are always predominantly brown (yellow-brown in T. regia ) with the posterior margin of the tergites yellow except for the terminal tergites which are completely yellow (all species except T. regia )

Head: vertex flat; postocular margin broad, bearing setae; interocular space at anterior margin of scape as wide as width of eyes; scape bearing setae, flagellum length shorter than prothorax, lacking pale band in distal third, often ending in few pale apical flagellomeres; flagellomeres simple/unmodified, three times broader than long at midlength, each antennule with a single whorl of prominent setae.

Pronotum shape of mid-section irregularly wrinkled, pronotum in dorsal view irregularly rugose, surface bearing setae, anterior dorsum pubescent, maculae enlarged and prominent, unpigmented, directed posteriorly; sharp constriction posterior to maculae, followed by prominent dorsal hump, followed by lateral humps; prothorax similar in length or slightly longer than pterothorax, ventral outline of pronotum in lateral view bent ventrad at midlength. Mesothorax bears setae, metathorax pubescent; mesoscutal furrows obsolete, central furrow comparatively under-developed.

Legs: meso- and metatarsus with segment I slightly longer in length than segments II–IV combined; segment IV the shortest; segment V anterodorsally flattened; meso- and metatarsal claws consisting of four to six teeth, usually five, rarely less than five, with a collective rounded shape (mid teeth similar in length); metatibia midsection always yellow, flanked by darker regions at basal and distal joints.

Wings: cells in costal space pigmented; radial cells comparatively elongated; forewing with costal space terminating at r-rs1, pterostigma commencing just after at 1/3 to midway of RS2; sc-ra crossvein distinctly less than half the length of RS3, two or three c-ra crossveins distal to pterostigma, rarely one; A2 simple, A2 and A3 fused basally, curious vestigial vein in jugal lobe, CuP straight distal to cu-a1 crossvein. Hindwing with A1 forked, A2 absent (present in T. regia ), CuA slightly bent towards A1, can be interpreted as straight; cu-a long, connects with A1 distal to fork.

Male abdomen (Fig. e–j): length short, not extending past wing apices; tergites V and VI with two parallel transverse rows of pores on anterolateral margin, pores do not extend to dorsum, each row consist of larger pores (8–15) along the centre, surrounded by many smaller pores (> 30), short stout setae present among pores; area between the rows smooth, lacks setae; ectoprocts simple, short, do not extend past apex of sternite IX in lateral view, in caudal view ventrolaterally slightly globose, tapering off towards dorsomedial line; ventromedial lobes prominent, slightly dorsoventrally compressed, posteriorly directed; sternite IX with medial projection rounded, bifid in ventral view; gonocoxites non-parallel, approach anterior apex of mediuncus, anterior apex of gonocoxites just short or reaching level of hypomeres; mediuncus distal apex bifid, basal apex with lateral flanges, flanges well produced, curved caudally; gonarcal lobe well developed, apex rounded to subacute, similar in length to pseudopenis.

Notes: when at rest, the wings are held in a vespoid manner. The overall brown colouration with posterior margin of tergites yellow (not T. regia ) is very similar to the colouration of some Polistes . It is therefore thought to be a wasp mimic (Beck 2005). T. regia has a generally different colouration to the rest of the Tuberonotha species. It is a much lighter brown, almost yellow. It also lacks the yellow tergal margins with the addition of a black anterior pronotal margin. It might be that the species mimics a different group/species of wasps.

This genus is very similar to the Afrotropical genus, Pseudoclimaciella . The main morphological difference is the absence of pigmentation on the wing apices that is present in Pseudoclimaciella . There are currently five Tuberonotha species awaiting revision.

a It is possible to interpret some Necyla pronotal surfaces as granulated because of the setae found on the pronotum; however, the surface is never as distinctly granulated as found in Austromantispa .

Figures

FIGURE 10. Tuberonotha regia: a. Thorax in lateral view; c. habitus. Tuberonotha sp. undescribed: b. Thorax in lateral view; d. habitus; e. terminalia in caudal view; f. terminalia in dorsal view; g. terminalia in ventral view; h. terminalia in lateral view. Tuberonotha strennua: i. terminalia in dorsal view; j. terminalia in caudal view.