Velox wielandi, 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 : 131-133

Velox wielandi sp. n.

Type.

Holotype Male, pinned. Biozentrum Grindel und Zoologisches Museum, Universität Hamburg, Germany.

Type locality.

Brazil: Espirito Santo (Brasil.), J. Michaelis vend., 22.IV.1898 (Lat. -19.995135, Long. -40.496412).

Material examined.

Velox wielandi sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Large species with an elongate habitus. Distal terminus of the forewing tapered, giving a sharp appearance; often asymmetrically colored with one being much darker. Hindwings are elongate with the distal margin of the discoidal region projecting well beyond the anal region. Tubercles present across the pronotum, but meso and metafemora smooth on the posterior (upper) surface. The posteroventral spines of the prothoracic femora very long, the distal the largest of the four. Species similar in general appearance to Hagiomantis mesopoda , but smaller and distributed in eastern Brazil.

Description.

Male. (Fig. 35A) N=1: Body length 26.25; forewing length 17.01; hindwing length 12.46; pronotum length 8.10; prozone length 2.37; pronotum width 2.67; pronotum narrow width 1.87; head width 4.80; head vertex to clypeus 1.91; frons width 1.62; frons height 0.64; prothoracic femur length 7.55; mesothoracic femur length 9.98; mesothoracic tibia length 7.65; mesothoracic tarsus length 7.86; metathoracic femur length 9.00; metathoracic tibia length 9.45; metathoracic tarsus length 10.65; pronotal elongation measure 0.29; pronotal shape measure 0.33; head shape measure 0.40; frons shape measure 0.40; anteroventral femoral spine count 16; anteroventral tibial spine count 10; posteroventral tibial spine count 8.

Head (Fig. 46C): Juxta-ocular protuberances present, the lateral third being the most pronounced; the vertex between the parietal sutures is straight or barely concave; vertex just lower than the dorsal margin of the eyes. Frontal suture with a faint curved carina forming a continuous arc. Ocelli small with the central ocellus oriented anteriorly while the lateral are oriented anterolaterally at the 45 degree angle from the central axis of the head; protruding slightly on cuticular mounds. Frons narrowed between the antennal insertion sites and depressed below the central ocellus; a transverse carina present below the central ocellus, running from lateral margins under the antennal insertion sites medially in a dorsally oriented curve, the middle forming an angle. Upper margin of clypeus straight, lower margin concave; a central protruding ridge strongly defined; the lateral margins tapering, widest at the upper margin. Antennae pale proximally and fading to light brown distally. Varying levels of black markings across the anterior surface of head. Palpi are pale.

Pronotum (Fig. 50G): Elongate with a slightly defined supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface with tubercles; prozone long with parallel lateral margins prior to a rounded anterior margin; metazone long with sweeping concave lateral margins that exhibit small, occasional denticles; posterior margin of the metazone straight with a slight medial emargination; the dorsal surface of the posterior half of the metazone depressed. Colored with black and pale markings that vary across specimens.

Prothoracic Legs: Femur robust with a straight dorsal margin distally, the proximal third slightly convex. Pale to dark banding on posterior surface of femur with numerous tubercles; anterior (inner) surface amber colored ventrally, a black strip medially, and pale along the dorsal margin; ventral surface amber colored. Well developed femoral pit on the ventral surface to accommodate terminal posteroventral tibial spine positioned on the lateral margin, pushing the margin outward between the proximal two posteroventral spines; pit is pale. Posterior prothoracic femoral genicular spine at most half the length of the posteroventral spines, originating proximal to the beginning of the genicular lobe. Prothoracic posteroventral tibial spines with the first and second most proximal and fourth through seventh shorter than the proximal third and terminal spines; the anteroventral spines longest at distal end and shortening proximally. Posterior surface of the prothoracic tibiae smooth and banded with pale and dark coloration; anterior and ventral surface amber colored. Prothoracic coxae smooth with varying black markings on the posterior and ventral surface, the anterior surface mostly black with the ventral margin pale.

Meso- and Metathoracic Legs: Femora with pronounced dorsal and ventral carinae; posterior (upper) surface smooth. Tibiae with a pronounced ventral carina. Mesotarsi with first segment as long as the remaining segments combined. Metatarsi with first segment longer than remaining segments combined.

Wings: Fully developed, the same length or slightly longer than the abdomen. Forewings mottled with contrasting regions of brown, white, and black; the costal region alternating irregularly from pale to dark its entire length; the costal region widened. The forewings may be colored asymmetrically, one being mottled as described above while the other is much darker. Hindwings opaque and smoky with near black veins; the costal region and the distal tip of the discoidal region more opaque with black pigment; the terminus of the discoidal region projecting well beyond the distal margin of anal region, the wing appearing elongate.

Abdomen: Elongate, tubular, and smooth. Tergites without posterolateral projections. Supra-anal plate highly transverse with a blunt, straight terminus. Subgenital plate elongate, tapering to the terminus with two prominent styli.

Genital Complex (Fig. 53D.1): The main body of ventral left sclerite (L4A) with a smooth, rounded terminus, the left side with a broad indentation. The apofisis falloid (afa) of the main body of dorsal left sclerite (L4B) well sclerotized forming a smooth, rounded terminus in the shape of a broad, dull ninety degree hook; the apical process (paa) heavily sclerotized and curved, tapering to a smooth, rounded terminus. The right dorsal phallomere (fda) of the first sclerite of right phallomere (R1) tapers to a narrow, rounded terminus with short, dispersed setae; the ventral plate (pia) strongly sclerotized proximally, the surface rough and with broad curved grooves; the ventral process (pva) c-shaped, the distal end with rough, micro-toothed surface on the inside edge of the inward curve.

Female. (Fig. 35B) N=4: Body length 29.56-34.07 (32.27); forewing length 18.93-23.00 (21.07); hindwing length 14.81-18.00 (16.06); pronotum length 7.59-10.19 (9.28); prozone length 2.36-2.95 (2.73); pronotum width 2.80-3.56 (3.25); pronotum narrow width 2.06-2.50 (2.27); head width 5.55-6.09 (5.79); head vertex to clypeus 2.16-2.78 (2.47); frons width 1.86-2.30 (2.11); frons height 0.68-0.95 (0.85); prothoracic femur length 7.88-9.77 (9.08); mesothoracic femur length 11.67-12.16 (11.91); mesothoracic tibia length 8.89-9.49 (9.19); mesothoracic tarsus length 8.30-8.97 (8.64); metathoracic femur length 10.19-10.75 (10.47); metathoracic tibia length 11.43-12.00 (11.71); metathoracic tarsus length 11.11-13.96 (12.53); pronotal elongation measure 0.28-0.31 (0.29); pronotal shape measure 0.33-0.37 (0.35); head shape measure 0.39-0.46 (0.42); frons shape measure 0.36-0.42 (0.40); anteroventral femoral spine count 16; anteroventral tibial spine count 10; posteroventral tibial spine count 8.

Head (Fig. 46D): Vertex slightly higher than the dorsal margin of the eyes. Upper margin of clypeus straight, lower margin straight. Antennae pale proximally and fading to dark brown distally.

Pronotum (Fig. 50H): Elongate with a slightly defined supra-coxal bulge; dorsal surface with tubercles; prozone long with parallel lateral margins prior to a rounded anterior margin; metazone long with slightly concave lateral margins, nearly straight medially; lateral margin with very small, occasional denticles; posterior margin of the metazone broadly rounded with a slight medial emargination.

Prothoracic Legs: Anterior (inner) surface of femur pale ventrally, a black strip medially, and pale along the dorsal margin; ventral surface pale. Prothoracic coxae smooth with varying black markings on the posterior and ventral surface, the anterior surface with a medial black marking in the proximal half.

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

Wings: As described for males.

Abdomen: Broad, widening from first segment until the beginning of the distal half (segments 4-5) when the lateral margins narrow gradually to the terminus, the middle being the broadest region. Supra-anal plate slightly transverse with a dull, pointed terminus, the margins tapering distally.

Etymology.

A noun in the genitive case, Velox wielandi is named for Frank Wieland, whose contributions to Mantodea systematics, phylogeny and morphology have advanced the field considerably.