Rhodomantis napier, Milledge, Graham A., 2014

Milledge, Graham A., 2014, A revision of Rhodomantis Giglio-Tos, 1917 (Mantodea: Mantidae: Mantinae), Zootaxa 3797 (1), pp. 39-64 : 47

Rhodomantis napier sp. nov.

( Figs. 11 , 31–32 , 53 )

Material examined. Holotype. 1♂, Western Australia, campsite No. 12, near Napier Downs Cave, Kimberleys, 8 Jun 1970, Lemley Expedition , WAM 65233.

Diagnosis. Males of this species can be distinguished from others in the genus by being only slightly brachypterous and by the genitalia having the combination of reduced pa, bidentate dpr and pointed medial lobe of the vph ( Figs. 31–32 ). Females are unknown.

Description (male). Body ( Fig. 11 ) elongate and slender. Colour yellow brown. Frontal shield with strong subanntenal ridge. Ocelli well developed. Antennae about same length as prothorax. Prothorax moderately elongate, metazone of pronotum with distinct dorsolateral carinae which become indistinct anteriorly and posteriorly. Foreleg with coxa shorter than metazone, femur with claw groove situated at about mid point. Volant but slightly brachypterous, wings reaching almost to end of fifth abdominal tergite; tegmen with costal area opaque cream coloured with thin blackish line on posterior margin; discoidal area semi opaque, anal lobe not visible in specimen examined; hindwings folded in specimen examined but appear to be similar in colouration to those of volant Rhodomantis males. Abdomen elongate and slender, supraanal plate triangular, cerci reaching beyond tip of abdomen.

Genitalia ( Figs. 31–32 ) with dpr short, broad and truncate, with prominent anterior and posterior teeth; pa compact and reduced, only lightly sclerotized; medial lobe of vph prominent, curved dorsally and produced into sclerotized, pointed tip, anterior portion of vph slightly narrowed, ap of left phallomere relatively compact.

Measurements (mm). Body length, ♂, 46.2. Head width, ♂, 3.5. Head depth, ♂, 2.4. Pronotum length, ♂, 13.4. Pronotum width, ♂, 1.8. Forecoxa length, ♂, 6.8. Forefemur length, ♂, 8.5. Tegmen length, ♂, 24.0. Abdomen length, ♂, 24.2.

Immature stages. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from type locality and is a noun in apposition.

Distribution and habits. Known only from the type locality in the Napier Range of north Western Australia ( Fig. 53 ). Habits unknown but likely to be a grass dweller.

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 11–13. Rhodomantis, dorsal habitus. R. napier n. sp.: 11, male holotype. R. kimberley n. sp.: 12, male holotype; 13, female paratype.

FIGURES 31–34. Rhodomantis, male genitalia. R. napier n. sp.: 31, dorsal aspect, left and ventral phallomeres; 32, ventral aspect, ventral phallomere. R. kimberley n. sp.: 33, dorsal aspect, left and ventral phallomeres; 34, ventral aspect, right and ventral phallomeres. Scales = 1mm.