Catestiasula nitida (Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893 )

Schwarz, Christian J. & Shcherbakov, Evgeny, 2017, Revision of Hestiasulini Giglio-Tos, 1915 stat. rev. (Insecta: Mantodea: Hymenopodidae) of Borneo, with description of new taxa and comments on the taxonomy of the tribe, Zootaxa 4291 (2), pp. 243-274 : 250-251

Catestiasula nitida (Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893)

( Figs 19–20 , 45–46 , 60 )

Pachymantis nitida Brunner de Wattenwyl 1893: 72 –73, pl. II, fig. 24a, b.

Pachymantis nitida Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893 . In: Werner 1916: 280; Werner 1924: 265.

Hestiasula nitida (Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893) . In: Kirby 1904: 288; Beier 1934: 17; Ehrmann 2002: 171; Otte & Spearman 2005: 78.

Catestiasula nitida (Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893) . In: Giglio-Tos 1915: 101; Giglio-Tos 1927: 547; Beier 1958: 247.

Catestiacula nitida (Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893) . In: Werner 1933: 271 (err. descr.)

Material. 1 ♂, Central East Birma (= Myanmar), Dawna Range (Kokarit Mountains), N 16.50° –E 98.15°, 2000 m, 13.III.–24.IV.1994, leg. H. Lehmann & Son (genitalia preparation Schwarz No. 204) (SMNK-03647; pinned); 1 ♂, Sumatra, Kopas , N 02.49° –E 099.18°, 220 m, rainforest, II.1997, W. Thiele leg. (genitalia preparation Schwarz No. 220) (SMNK-03642; pinned).

Distribution. Myanmar, Sumatra, Java, E Borneo ( Giglio-Tos 1927, Werner 1924, 1933, Beier 1958; SMNK).

Measurements in mm. Male: body length 17.6–18.7; head width 3.2–3.4; pronotum length 2.5–2.7; pronotum width 2.3–2.4; metazona 1.2–1.4; fore coxa length 4.4–4.7; fore femur length 5.5–5.7; fore femur width, 2.9–3.0; fore tibia length 3.5–3.7; hind femur length 4.2–4.5; fore wing length 16.4–17.6; fore wing width 4.3–4.5.

Remarks. Described from Mt. Mooleyit (Tenasserim, Myanmar), 1800–1900 m (Brunner de Wattenwyl, 1893: 73). Listed for SE Borneo (CE Borneo, Sampit, Mentawir) by Werner (1933, as “ Catestiacula nitida ”) and Beier (1958).

Both Werner and Beier report females, but only Werner (1933) gives a brief description, reproduced here: “ Scutellum frontale mit vier vertikalen Wülsten, dazwischen tiefe Furchen. Ein dreieckiger Höcker am unteren Ende eines medianen Längswulstes oberhalb der Ocellen. Vorderfemora innen oben nur mit zwei grossen gelben Flecken. Länge 21 mm; Pronotum 3, Elytren 18, Vorderfemora 6 mm ”.

Translation: Scutellum frontale with four vertical carinae separated by deep sulci. A triangular tubercle at the lower margin of a median carina above the ocelli. Fore femora inside with only two yellow markings. (Body) length 21 mm; pronotum 3, tegmina 18, fore femora 6 mm.

We have investigated two males from Myanmar and Sumatra, respectively, deposited in the SMNK, in addition to high-resolution photographs of the holotype, deposited in the MSNG, and of a NHMW male from Sandakan, NE Borneo, 24.VII.1927, identified by Max Beier as C. nitida , and published at http:// specimens.mantodearesearch.com. All specimens correspond well to the original description by Brunner de Wattenwyl (1893). They feature three bright whitish spots on the anterior surface of the fore femur, and apically darkened tarsomeres. Their genitalia ( Figs 45–46 ) are very similar to those of the following species, but more robust and with a wider ventral phallomere. All specimens have reddish forewing veins, contrary to the statement of Giglio-Tos (1915, 1927; see below). Brunner de Wattenwyl (1893) does not comment on the color of the veins in his original description.

Werner (1924), in citing a personal communication by H. Karny, reports females of this species to be arboricolous, and very good fliers when threatened.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 20. Fore legs of Hestiasulini treated in this paper, anterior view. 9. A. phyllopus, male from the Malay Peninsula (ES). 10. A. phyllopus, male from Brunei, mirrored (CS). 11. A. phyllopus, female from Brunei (CS). 12. A. sarawaca, male from Brunei (CS). 13. P. borneana, holotype (SMNK). 14. H. brunneriana, male from Sri Lanka (CS). 15. H. brunneriana, female from Sri Lanka (CS). 16. A. sarawaca, female from Kalimantan; Photo C. J. Schwarz © RMNH (RMNH). 17. C. moultoni, male from Sarawak (CS). 18. C. moultoni, female from Brunei, mirrored (CS). 19. C. nitida, male from Myanmar (SMNK). 20. C. nitida, male from Sumatra (SMNK) (not to scale).

FIGURES 43 – 50. Genitalia of various Hestiasulini. 43. A. phyllopus from Sabah (CS). 44. A. basinigra from Myanmar (SMNK). 45. C. nitida from Myanmar (SMNK). 46. C. nitida from Sumatra (SMNK). 47. C. sp. from Kerala (SMNK). 48. Ephestiasula amoena from Nepal (ES). 49. E. pictipes from India (CS). 50. H. gyldenstolpei from Thailand (ES) (scale bar: 1 mm).

FIGURES 60 – 62. Distribution maps of Bornean Hestiasulini. 60. C. moultoni (circles) and C. nitida (squares); open square indicates unprecise locality information. 61. A. phyllopus. 62. A. sarawaca (circles) and P. borneana (square); open circle indicates unprecise locality information.