Platycalymma dichroica Paulian 1957
Creators: name: Roy, Roger
name: Svenson, Gavin J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Mantodea
Iridopterygidae
Platycalymma
Platycalymma dichroica

description: Platycalymma dichroica (Paulian, 1957)
Ichromantis dichroica PAULIAN, 1957: 41 & fig. 20, 22–23 (partim); ROY, 1987: 121; EHRMANN, 2002: 191 (partim); OTTE & SPEARMAN, 2005: 122 (partim).
Examined specimens. Madagascar. Holotype 3—Central Region, Réserve Naturelle III, Nosivola (Locality P.d.1), genitalia prep. 3696 Roy (MNHN); 1 3—Antsiranana, forêt de Binara, 7.5 km 230° SW Daraina, elev. 375 m, 1 December 2003, 13°15’18” S, 49°37’00” E, general collecting tropical dry forest, coll. B.L. Fisher (Locality P.d.2), BLF9555, CASLOT 0 39125 (CAS); 1 3—Environs d’Andasibe, 135 km east of Antananarivo, 900 m, 27– XII–2000, S. Murzin (Locality P.d.3), genitalia prep. 0 0 0 150 Svenson (MNHN); 1 3—Environs d’Andasibe, 135 km east of Antananarivo, 900 m, 14–XI–2000, S. Murzin (Locality P.d.4) (MNHN); 1 3—Andasibe, Perinet, 01– 2001, coll. Casimir Rafamantanantsoa (Locality P.d.5) (PBZT); 1 Ƥ—Perinet (Locality P.d.6) (MNHN); 1 3— Eastern Region, District Moramanga, Fanovana, XI–60, P. Griveaud (Locality P.d.7), genitalia prep. 4055 Roy (MNHN); 3 3—Fianarantsoa, Ranamafana National Park, Talatakely, research laboratory area, blacklight-mercury vapor light, 940 m, 21°14’53.5” S, 47°25’36.9” E, 31 Oct–20 Nov. 1998, V.F. Lee and K.J. Ribardo leg (Locality P.d.8), CASENT 8006 188, CASENT 8006 192, CASENT 8006 193 (CAS); 3 3—Fianarantsoa, Ranamafana National Park, Centre ValBio Research Station, Mercury Vapor Light, 21°15’15.3”S, 47°25’17.6” E, 10–13 Nov. 2008, coll: G.J. Svenson (Locality P.d.9), genitalia prep. 0 0 0 0 16, 0 0 0 0 44, 0 0 0 0 68 Svenson (GSMC); 1 3—Prov. Fianarantsoa, 7 km W Ranomafana, 1100 m, 15–24 September 1988, C. Kremen, collr., at black light in montane rain forest (Locality P.d.10) (USNM); 1 3—Prov. Fianarantsoa, 7 km W Ranomafana, 900 m, 20–31 January 1990, W.E. Streine (Locality P.d.11) (USNM); 1 3—Camp Catta, Andringitra National Park, 40 km south of Ambalavao, 810 m, 26–XI–2–XII, 2003, S. Murzin & A. Shamaev leg (Locality P.d.12) (MNHN); 1 3—Mitsinjo, 19.I.2007, B. Mériguet & N. Moulin coll. (Locality P.d.13), genitalia 4236 Roy (MNHN); 1 3— Madagascar, S. -E., R. Decary, 1926 (MNHN).
The allotype of Paulian’s (1957) I. dichroica is not actually a member of the genus Platycalymma WESTWOOD, 1889, but rather a new species of Hyalomantis GIGLIO-TOS, 1915 recently described as H. whitingi SVENSON & ROY, 2011. However, males of the species conform to the description of Paulian and match the holotype. Diagnosis. Middle sized for the genus and most easily recognized by the distinct white opaque strip on the exterior third of the costal region of the forewing extending it’s entire length. This species is most similar to P. viettei, which also has an opaque strip on the exterior third of the costal region of the forewing, but it is red or orange. The antennae are almost entirely black in males and annulate in females. Both sexes have 13–14 external and 11–12 internal foretibial spines.
Redescription. Male. (Figs. 2 C & 2E) Length measurement from head to tip of abdomen 25–27 mm, of forewings 22–26 mm, of pronotum 4.6–5.5 mm; width of pronotum 2.3–2.5 mm, of head 3.7–3.9 mm, of costal region of forewings 2.1–2.5 mm.
Head (Fig. 4 E): Overall shape of head triangular. Vertex concave medially with area between parietal sutures and eyes convex, forming a small, the least pronounced of all the species, juxtaocular bulge. Eyes bulging slightly outside the triangular perimeter of the head; upper margin adjoin the head with a slight depression. The lower margin of the frontal sclerite is concave. The clypeus has an irregular lower margin with a medial bulge and is slightly transverse. Sculpting is present across clypeus and labrum. Antennae are all black except for the first two segments, the first being entirely pale, the second only with a single dark spot.
Pronotum (Fig. 6 E): The length/width ratio is 2.3 with nearly parallel margins in the posterior half of the metazone. Metazone is about 1.58 times longer than the prozone. Ochre coloration.
Legs: Length measurement of forecoxae 6 mm, of forefemora 7 mm, of foretibiae 5 mm, of mesofemora 6–6.5 mm, of mesotibiae 4.5–5 mm, of metafemora 7–7.5 mm, and of metatibiae 7.5–8 mm. The forelegs are entirely pale; the meso- and metathoracic legs with tarsi darkened from the apex of the first segment to the terminus.
Wings: Forewings almost entirely hyaline with a strongly broadened costal region with wide reticulation. A distinct white opaque strip on the exterior third of the costal region of the forewing extends the entire length of the costal region. Veins across the forewing are pigmented green. Hindwings are hyaline with veins pigmented as in forewings.
Abdomen (Fig. 7 C): Thin abdomen with cerci about 3 mm long with the last segment elongated. Subgenital plate rather short, with rounded sides and a fairly concave apex; styli large.
Genitalia (Figs. 9 D–H): Right epiphallus with apophysis hardened and smooth forming an acute angle. Left epiphallus with marked granulation on the terminus of a strongly sclerotized titillator. Pseudophallus with granulation and a terminal digitation oriented at ninety degrees or less to central axis; a number of small tubercles present on the surface and margins. Hypophallus with pronounced granulation on the distal margin, forming a discrete region appearing as a convex bulb with numerous large sized tubercles, granulation, and sculpting that creates slight depressions in the central part of the bulb. The medial region of the left margin of the hypophallus with pronounced granulation forming a rough patch that extends proximally where it terminates abruptly after extending beyond the general margin of the hypophallus; region proximal to the termination of granulated region markedly convex.
Description. Female. (Fig. 2 D) Length measurement from head to tip of abdomen 24 mm, of forewings 19 mm, of
pronotum 6.1 mm; width of pronotum 2.6 mm, of head 4.3 mm, of costal region of forewings 2.9 mm.
Head (Fig. 4 F): Overall shape of head triangular. Vertex concave medially with area between parietal sutures and eyes convex, forming a smooth juxtaocular bulge. Eyes elongate and bulging slightly outside the triangular perimeter of the head; upper margin adjoin the head with a smooth transition. The lower margin of the frontal sclerite is slightly concave. The clypeus has a straight lower margin. Slight sculpting is present across clypeus and labrum. Antennae are annulate.
Pronotum (Fig. 6 F): As elongate as males with a length/width ratio of 2.2 and a metazone 1.80 times longer than prozone. Colored as in males with nearly parallel margins in the posterior half of the metazone.
Legs: Length measurement of forecoxae 6 mm, of forefemora 7 mm, of foretibiae 5 mm, of mesofemora 6.5 mm, of mesotibiae 5 mm, of metafemora 7 mm, and of metatibiae 7.5 mm. The forelegs are entirely pale; the meso- and metathoracic legs pale as in forelegs.
Wings: Forewings uniformly opaque with green pigmented veins across the costal and discoidal regions. Costal region of forewings very broad with widely spaced parallel cross veins, some of which branch. Hindwings are hyaline with green pigmented veins.
Abdomen: Medium size lateral lobes. Cerci not much exceeding ovipositor, with the last segment relatively short.
description: Published as part of Roy, Roger & Svenson, Gavin J., 2011, Revision of Platycalymma Westwood, 1889, and the synonymy of Ichromantis Paulian, 1957 (Mantodea, Iridopterygidae, Tropidomantinae), pp. 1-25 in Zootaxa 3014 on pages 10-11, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.204672