Liturgusa fossetti, 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 : 50-54

Liturgusa fossetti sp. n.

Type.

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

Type locality.

Panama CZ, Madden Res., May 11' 72, R&E Froeschner (Lat. 9.119892, Long. -79.619867).

Material examined.

Liturgusa fossetti sp. n.

Diagnosis.

A medium size species with a moderately elongate pronotum, Liturgusa fossetti is most similar to Liturgusa maya , which is also distributed in Central America. However, Liturgusa fossetti can easily be distinguished from Liturgusa maya and other Central American species by the yellow coloration on the hindwings.

Description.

Male. (Figs 2A, 10A) N=3: Body length 21.36-22.18 (21.76); forewing length 13.60-14.55 (14.21); hindwing length 10.26-11.53 (11.04); pronotum length 6.37-6.59 (6.49); prozone length 1.92-2.08 (1.98); pronotum width 2.47-2.54 (2.50); pronotum narrow width 1.63-1.84 (1.76); head width 4.96-5.13 (5.05); head vertex to clypeus 1.87-2.06 (1.95); frons width 1.73-1.78 (1.76); frons height 0.66-0.76 (0.69); prothoracic femur length 6.54-6.75 (6.62); mesothoracic femur length 7.92-8.27 (8.04); mesothoracic tibia length 5.94-6.28 (6.08); mesothoracic tarsus length 5.38-5.71 (5.54); metathoracic femur length 8.01-8.27 (8.14); metathoracic tibia length 7.96-8.83 (8.39); metathoracic tarsus length 7.43-8.20 (7.82); pronotal elongation measure 0.30-0.32 (0.30); pronotal shape measure 0.38-0.39 (0.39); head shape measure 0.37-0.40 (0.39); frons shape measure 0.38-0.43 (0.40); anteroventral femoral spine count 13-15 (15); anteroventral tibial spine count 10; posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 41E): Transverse, the juxta-ocular protuberances small, the apex just lateral to the midline; the vertex is straight, but sometimes dips just prior to the parietal sutures, even with the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a medial carina forming a continuous arc, the region just ventral to the carina depressed and the region just dorsal to the carina slightly depressed just lateral to the midline. Ocelli small, the central slightly enlarged, all protruding on small cuticular mounds; the lateral ocelli oriented outward. The carina on the frons not very pronounced, the medial region just ventral to the carina depressed. Clypeus transverse, the upper margin convex, the lower margin slightly concave; the central, transverse carina pronounced and curved. Antennae scape pale, pedicel partly dark brown or black, the flagellum dark brown or black just slightly distal to the base. Vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances mostly dark brown with black marks and black speckling; two prominent pale marks positioned just lateral to the lateral ocelli. Lower region of frons darkly pigmented; the clypeus, labrum, and mandibles pale; the area immediately adjacent to lateral ocelli black. Palpi are pale.

Pronotum (Fig. 47L): Slightly less than three times long as wide with a moderately defined supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface smooth, but with a few small tubercles in the posterolateral corners of the metazone. Prozone slightly longer than broad with slightly convex margins that gradually taper to an evenly rounded anterior margin; margins smooth or with very few blunt tubercles. Metazone with shallow concave lateral margins without interruptions or bulges, the medial region near parallel for a short distance; margins with small tubercles; posterior margin with a medial emargination; the dorsal surface of the posterior third of the metazone slightly depressed. Mostly dark with pale and black markings across the surface, black marks laterally just posterior to the supra-coxal sulcus.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur robust with a slightly concave dorsal margin; strongly defined pale to dark banding on posterior (external) surface; anterior (internal) surface with a thin black band running medially from the base to terminus that may be interrupted; the ventral surface pale. Posterior surface of femur with few tubercles. A femoral pit to accommodate terminal posteroventral tibial spine positioned medial to and just distal to the first most proximal posteroventral spine, distal to the most distal discoidal spine; pit is pigmented black. Posterior prothoracic femoral genicular spine much smaller than posteroventral spines, 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 longer. Prothoracic coxae smooth, the anterior surface with a black band medially in the proximal half as well as a very small black spot medially towards the distal terminus.

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 with defined banding distally, the proximal region mostly brown; vein coloration across discoidal region pale, not matching surrounding coloration; a pale spot positioned in the proximal quarter of the discoidal region just posterior to the first radial vein; a large pale area is positioned centrally; brown coloration dominant across the discoidal region within cells, the veins pale and appearing like a net-like pattern on the brown background. Forewings often, but not always asymmetrically colored; one being mottled as described, the other is darkened significantly with a rust tone, the mottled pattern still visible; extending just beyond or as long as the abdomen. Hindwings with an opaque yellow coloration in the proximal three quarters, yellow color extending into the anterior area of the anal region, the rest is smoky and translucent; distal quarter of the discoidal region opaque black; 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, brown and black colored dorsal surface. Tergites without posterolateral tergal projections. Supra-anal plate transverse, an evenly rounded terminus with a medial emargination. Subgenital plate irregularly rounded and without styli.

Genital Complex (Fig. 51F.1): The main body of ventral left sclerite (L4A) slightly elongate with margins that taper rapidly to a medially pointed terminus, the left side highly sclerotized, the right membranous; the left side with an elongate depression on the surface; lacking a distal process (pda). The apofisis falloid (afa) of the main body of dorsal left sclerite (L4B) broad and heavily sclerotized with rapidly tapering margins terminating with a dull point, the concave margin strongly defined; the apical process (paa) thick and with a pronounced bulge at the base, curved and terminating with an evenly rounded tip. The right dorsal phallomere (fda) of the first sclerite of right phallomere (R1) tapers to a rounded, membranous terminus; the ventral plate (pia) long, broadened proximally with a few defined grooves; the ventral process (pva) c-shaped and broad, both ends rounded and blunt.

Female. (Figs 2B, 10B) N=3: Body length 30.16-32.36 (31.60); forewing length 18.38-20.15 (19.06); hindwing length 14.25-15.27 (14.76); pronotum length 9.22-9.53 (9.34); prozone length 2.93-2.95 (2.94); pronotum width 3.52-3.70 (3.60); pronotum narrow width 2.47-2.72 (2.60); head width 6.69-7.06 (6.84); head vertex to clypeus 2.75-3.00 (2.84); frons width 2.39-2.67 (2.54); frons height 0.91-1.10 (0.99); prothoracic femur length 8.85-9.75 (9.36); mesothoracic femur length 9.78-9.97 (9.88); mesothoracic tibia length 7.56-8.11 (7.83); mesothoracic tarsus length 6.94-7.11 (7.02); metathoracic femur length 9.55-9.92 (9.75); metathoracic tibia length 10.74-10.96 (10.87); metathoracic tarsus length 9.27-9.41 (9.34); pronotal elongation measure 0.31-0.32 (0.32); pronotal shape measure 0.37-0.40 (0.39); head shape measure 0.41-0.42 (0.41); frons shape measure 0.37-0.41 (0.39); anteroventral femoral spine count 15; anteroventral tibial spine count 10; posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 41F): Slightly transverse, the juxta-ocular protuberances large, the apex in the middle; the vertex is straight, higher than the dorsal margin of the eyes. Antennae scape pale, pedicel dark brown or black, the flagellum dark brown or black just slightly distal to the base. Black band extending straight over the medial carina of the frontal suture, the carina pale; black markings extend ventrally and dorsally from black band. Lower region of frons with dark pigmentation; dorsolateral corners of the clypeus darkly pigmented, the brown pigment extending along the ventral margin of the central carina; the mandibles and labrum with pale and brown markings; the vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances pale with brown speckles; the area immediately adjacent to lateral ocelli black. Palpi are pale.

Pronotum (Fig. 47M): Dorsal surface smooth, but with tubercles in the posterior half of the metazone. Prozone longer than broad with anteriorly tapering margins.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur robust with a nearly straight dorsal margin; anterior (internal) surface with a degraded (pale interruptions) black band running medially from the base to terminus. A deep femoral pit to accommodate terminal posteroventral tibial spine positioned medial to and between the two most proximal posteroventral spines, slightly distal to the most distal discoidal spine. Posterior prothoracic femoral genicular spine half the length of posteroventral spines, 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 much longer.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Mesotarsi with first segment shorter than the remaining segments combined.

Wings: Forewings mottled with brown, pale and greenish coloration; the costal region without defined banding, mostly brown and pale mottled; vein coloration across discoidal region pale, not matching surrounding coloration; a pale spot positioned in the proximal quarter of the discoidal region just posterior to the first radial vein; a large pale area is positioned centrally; the distal half with numerous large pale spots, the background color is dark brown; costal region widened. Forewings not asymmetrically colored; extending just proximal to the terminus of the abdomen.

Abdomen: Widened, the fifth tergite the widest region before a gradual posterior narrowing; elliptical in shape. Tergites with expanded and triangular posterolateral tergal projections on the fifth through seventh segments. Supra-anal plate slightly transverse, a broadly rounded, blunt terminus, a small emargination present.

Etymology.

A noun in the genitive case, Liturgusa fossetti is named in honor of James Stephen Fossett for his inspirational dedication to adventure and exploration