Mantispa Illiger in Kugelann

Snyman, Louwrens P., Sole, Catherine L. & Ohl, Michael, 2018, A revision of and keys to the genera of the Mantispinae of the Oriental and Palearctic regions (Neuroptera: Mantispidae), Zootaxa 4450 (5), pp. 501-549 : 521-522

Genus Mantispa Illiger in Kugelann

Mantispa Illiger in Kugelann, 1798 . Type species: Mаntis pаgаnа ( Fabricius, 1775) (= Rаphidiа styriаcа Poda, 1761 ), by monotypy.

Amyclа Rafinesque, 1815 . Unjustified emendation of Mаntispа Illiger in Kugelann, 1798 . Amyclа was considered an emendation of Mаntispа Illiger in Kugelann, 1798 , by Neave, 1939.

Distribution: Palearctic: widespread, western Europe to China. (Doubtful records make it unclear, possibly some areas of the Orient and the Afrotropics).

Diagnosis ( Fig. 12 ): Mantispa can be distinguished from other Oriental and Palearctic genera by the presence of short, stout setae on the occiput, the pronotum and mesothorax combined with an attenuated or absent crossvein between A1 and CuP.

Head: vertex with slight longitudinal ridge from the well-developed dome posterior to the interantennal space to the occiput, slight indentation halfway, flattening out laterally towards the ocular margin, postocular margin broad, covered in short stout setae, interocular space at anterior margin of scape broader than or similar to width of eyes; scape bearing few setae, flagellum length significantly shorter than prothorax, flagellomeres simple/ unmodified, similar in length and width, squircular in shape, basal half of flagellomeres with prominent whorl of setae on anterior margin which gradually changes towards the apex into fine setae covering entire flagellomeres.

Thorax: anterior margin with dorsoanteriorly directed cusp bearing short stout setae, pronotal shape of midsection almost cylindrical sometimes with slight corrugations in dorsal view, dorsum with dark short stout setae, few setae may be present anterolaterally or posterolaterally; maculae inconspicuous acute cusps, dorsolaterally directed (away from medial plane), posterior to maculae pronotum gradually increases in width; prothorax longer than pterothorax; ventral outline of pronotum in lateral view straight; pterothorax: mesothorax with dark short stout setae, mesoscutal furrows conspicuous, meet at prominent central furrow, central furrow shaped as laterally compressed conical pit; mesoscutellum triangular, terminates just posterior to central furrow; metathorax lacks stout setae, may be pubescent (velvet appearance).

Legs: meso- and metatarsus with segment I longer in length than segments II–IV combined; segment IV the shortest; metatarsus with segment I similar in length than segments II–IV combined; segment II–IV similar in size; segment V slightly globose anterodorsally; meso- and metatarsal claws consisting of four to six teeth, with a collective triangular shape (middle teeth distinctly longer in length than lateral teeth).

Wings: wings hyaline, unpigmented; pterostigma unmodified. Forewing: costal space terminating midway of RS1; pterostigma commencing at r-rs1 or just distal of r-rs1, terminates midway of RS3; sc-ra crossvein distinctly less than half the length of RS3, c-ra crossveins distal to pterostigma one; A2 simple, A2 and A3 fused basally, CuP straight. Hindwing: cu-m straight; A1 forked, 2A present, CuA distinctly bent towards A1, cu-a attenuated or absent, CuA and A1 never completely fused.

Male abdomen: length short, not extending past wing apices; all tergites lack pores, intertergal membrane between V-VI with pores, also bears setae on anterior half of membrane; ectoprocts well developed in dorsal view, may extend past apex of sternite IX in lateral view ( M. styriaca ) or do not extend past apex of sternite IX ( M. aphavexelte ), apices not globose; ventromedial lobes prominent, posteroventrally directed, majority of spines on ventral surface; sternite IX with broad rounded medial protrusion, protrusion lacks setae; pseudopenis prominent and acute, longer or similar in length than pseudopenal membrane; pseudopenal membrane broadly triangular, tapering towards pseudopenis; hypomeres prominent on lateral apices of pseudopenal membrane; distal apices of gonocoxites level with or just short of distal apex of mediuncus; gonocoxites thin and parallel; median gonarcal lobe a sub-acute protrusion, shorter or similar in length than the length of pseudopenis; distal apex of mediuncus bifid, proximal apex of mediuncus broadly arrow shaped, ending level with basal apices of the gonocoxites.

Biology: Brauer (1852, 1855, 1869, 1887) studied the biology of M. styriaca well and used the species to describe the hypermetamorphic ontogeny characteristic of Mantispidae . So far, several species from Gnaphosidae and Lycosidae are known to be hosts of Mantispa larvae. Of all the species and specimens used in this study, only M. aphavexelte Aspöck et al., 1980 and M. styriaca clearly belonged to Mantispa . Unlike what is suggested by the long list of names belonging to Mantispa , it is probable that Mantispa is a small genus comprising few species.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Mantispa styriaca: a. Habitus; c. prothorax, lateral view; f. mesothoracic dorsum. Mantispa aphavexelte: b. Habitus; d. terminalia, caudal view; e. terminalia, dorsal view; g. mesothoracic dorsum; h. prothoracic prozone and occiput in dorsal view, arrows indicate presence of short stout setae.