Liturgusa kirtlandi, 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 : 54-57

Liturgusa kirtlandi sp. n.

Type.

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

Type locality.

Bolivia: Dpto. Santa Cruz, Reserva Natural Potrerillo del Guenda, 17°40.281'S, 063°27.451'W, 400 m, 3-9.XI.2009, at MV.UV lights & gen. coll., Coll: G.J. Svenson (Lat. -17.671350, Long. -63.457517).

Material examined.

Liturgusa kirtlandi sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Most similar to Liturgusa maya and Liturgusa trinidadensis , but easily diagnosed by the elongate, thin apical process (paa) with an angled blunt tip rather than an evenly rounded terminus as is seen in the other two species. See Liturgusa trinidadensis for a list of external features that distinguish the species from Liturgusa kirtlandi . The main difference between Liturgusa maya and Liturgusa kirtlandi is the presence of tubercles on the pronotum in Liturgusa kirtlandi and not in Liturgusa maya . Finally, Liturgusa trinidadensis has numerous tubercles in the posterolateral corners of the metazone while Liturgusa kirtlandi does not.

Description.

Male. (Fig. 11A) N=4: Body length 25.82-26.83 (26.2); forewing length 17.37-17.91 (17.64); hindwing length 13.49-14.19 (13.86); pronotum length 6.95-7.35 (7.18); prozone length 2.06-2.26 (2.18); pronotum width 2.63-2.78 (2.70); pronotum narrow width 1.96-2.02 (1.99); head width 5.35-5.62 (5.47); head vertex to clypeus 2.14-2.21 (2.18); frons width 1.91-2.07 (1.98); frons height 0.61-0.77 (0.67); prothoracic femur length 6.76-7.04 (6.90); mesothoracic femur length 8.46-8.88 (8.71); mesothoracic tibia length 6.73-7.09 (6.94); mesothoracic tarsus length 5.80-6.10 (5.94); metathoracic femur length 8.54-9.12 (8.83); metathoracic tibia length 10.01-10.50 (10.33); metathoracic tarsus length 8.53-8.84 (8.70); pronotal elongation measure 0.30-0.31 (0.30); pronotal shape measure 0.36-0.39 (0.38); head shape measure 0.39-0.40 (0.40); frons shape measure 0.31-0.39 (0.34); anteroventral femoral spine count 13-14 (14); anteroventral tibial spine count 9; posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 41G): Transverse, the juxta-ocular protuberances small, but pronounced, the apex just lateral to the midline; the vertex is slightly convex, even with the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a slight medial carina forming a continuous arc, the entire carina depressed into a trough. Ocelli small, the central more enlarged (about twice the size as the lateral), all protruding on small cuticular mounds; the lateral ocelli oriented outward. The carina on the frons not pronounced, 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 black just slightly distal to the base. Black band extending straight over the medial carina of the frontal suture, the very center of 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 lower region of the vertex. Lower region of frons darkly pigmented; a central dark band running across the middle of the clypeus, the dorsal and ventral regions pale; the mandibles and labrum with pale and brown markings; the vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances mostly black with pale speckles; the area immediately adjacent to lateral ocelli black. Palpi are pale.

Pronotum (Fig. 47N): A little less than three times as long as wide with a moderately defined supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface entirely smooth or at most with very few, small tubercles. Prozone square with slightly convex margins that gradually taper to an evenly rounded anterior margin; margins smooth or with very few blunt tubercles. Metazone with concave lateral margins without interruptions or bulges; margins with numerous small tubercles; posterior margin with a medial emargination; the dorsal surface of the posterior third of the metazone not depressed. Mostly dark with pale and black markings across the surface, faint swirls present on the metazone just posterior to the supra-coxal sulcus.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur normal with a straight dorsal margin; strongly defined pale to dark banding on posterior (external) surface; anterior (internal) surface with a very thin black band running medially from the base to terminus, some small segments more faded, two slight dark marks present dorsal to the band, one medial and the other near the femoral brush; 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 pigmented brown. 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 much longer. Prothoracic coxae smooth, the anterior surface with a very small, black mark 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 shorter or as long as the remaining segments combined.

Wings: Forewings mottled with brown, pale and black coloration; the costal region without defined banding distally, proximal region mostly brown with a green/pale anterior margin; vein coloration is pale, not matching surrounding cell coloration; a larger, but slightly more pale area is positioned centrally; brown color dominant across discoidal region with small regularly dispersed irregularly shaped black marks in the distal half. Forewings asymmetrically colored; one being mottled as described the other is darkened significantly with a black or rust tone, the mottled pattern still visible; extending just beyond the terminus of the abdomen. Hindwings with opaque discoidal region, colored rust or pale brown proximally and along the anterior margin, otherwise black; the anal region smoky black and translucent; the terminus of the discoidal region projecting far beyond the distal margin of anal region, the wing appearing elongate.

Abdomen: Slightly widened, the fifth or sixth tergite the widest region before a gradual posterior narrowing; a smooth, brown and black colored dorsal surface. Tergites with small posterolateral tergal projections on the terminal three segments. Supra-anal plate slightly wider than long, a broad, blunt terminus with a slight medial emargination. Subgenital plate irregularly rounded and without styli.

Genital Complex (Fig. 51G.1-G.4): The main body of ventral left sclerite (L4A) broadly elliptical with rounded terminus, but with a rounded distal process (pda) positioned medially (may be short and rather blunt or more elongate and narrow), projecting at an angle towards the right phallomere (R1), appearing like a small, well-sclerotized tooth; sometimes a depression on the opposite lateral half from the pda is present. The apofisis falloid (afa) of the main body of dorsal left sclerite (L4B) very short, quickly narrowing to a sharp point, not curved; the apical process (paa) elongate and thin, the terminus forming an angled blunt tip. The right dorsal phallomere (fda) of the first sclerite of right phallomere (R1) tapers to a rounded, membranous terminus; the ventral plate (pia) short with strongly defined grooves; the ventral process (pva) small and tooth-like and curved at the proximal base, the distal tip irregular, but narrowing to a point.

Female. (Figs 1B, 11B) N=5: Body length 30.11-32.79 (30.94); forewing length 20.14-21.41 (20.55); hindwing length 15.17-16.86 (15.84); pronotum length 8.16-8.70 (8.43); prozone length 2.44-2.66 (2.57); pronotum width 3.12-3.31 (3.23); pronotum narrow width 2.36-2.41 (2.39); head width 6.31-6.76 (6.60); head vertex to clypeus 2.78-2.97 (2.85); frons width 2.46-2.71 (2.56); frons height 0.78-0.93 (0.88); prothoracic femur length 8.13-8.53 (8.25); mesothoracic femur length 9.27-9.84 (9.50); mesothoracic tibia length 7.70-8.16 (7.85); mesothoracic tarsus length 6.23-6.69 (6.43); metathoracic femur length 9.39-9.87 (9.58); metathoracic tibia length 11.41-11.75 (11.57); metathoracic tarsus length 9.16-9.79 (9.59); pronotal elongation measure 0.30-0.31 (0.30); pronotal shape measure 0.37-0.40 (0.38); head shape measure 0.42-0.45 (0.43); frons shape measure 0.31-0.36 (0.34); anteroventral femoral spine count 13-14 (13); anteroventral tibial spine count 9-10 (9); posteroventral tibial spine count 7.

Head (Fig. 41H): Slightly transverse, the juxta-ocular protuberances large, the apex in the middle; the vertex is straight, higher than the dorsal margin of the eyes. The vertex and juxta-ocular protuberances evenly mottled with black, brown and pale markings.

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

Prothoracic Legs: Femur normal with a near straight or slightly concave dorsal margin. A shallow femoral pit to accommodate terminal posteroventral tibial spine positioned medial to and just distal to the first most proximal posteroventral spine, in line with the most distal discoidal spine.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: As described for males.

Wings: The costal region without defined banding, mostly pale with some brown mottling. The forewing extending just shy of the terminus of the abdomen.

Abdomen: Slightly widened, the fifth tergite the widest region before a gradual posterior narrowing. Tergites with small posterolateral tergal projections on the terminal four segments. Supra-anal plate almost square, a broad, blunt terminus with a slight medial emargination.

Etymology.

A noun in the genitive case, Liturgusa kirtlandi is named in honor of Jared Potter Kirtland (1793-1877) for his contributions to natural science and medicine in northern Ohio as one of the founding trustees of the Cleveland Academy of Natural Science in 1845, later renamed the Kirtland Society of Natural History in his honor in 1865. The KSNH remained in existence until 1920 when the Cleveland Museum of Natural History was founded, the various natural history collections moving to the new museum.