Ilomantis thalassina Saussure 1899
Creators: name: Brannoch, Sydney K.
name: Svenson, Gavin J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Mantodea
Iridopterygidae
Ilomantis
Ilomantis thalassina

description: <i>Ilomantis thalassina</i> (Saussure, 1899) <i>Tropidomantis thalassina</i> Saussure, 1899: 593; Kirby, 1904: 227 <i>Ilomantis [Tropidomantis] thalassina (Saussure, 1899) Giglio-Tos, 1915: 46</i>, 1927: 137; Paulian 1957: 30; Roy 1987: 121; Ehrmann, 2002: 193 <i>Nilomantis [Ilomantis] thalassina (Saussure, 1899) Beier 1935: 54–55</i>; Otte &amp; Spearman 2005: 120–121 <i>Type species</i> Holotype &amp;male;. Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany; Allotype &amp;female;. Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Frankfurt, Germany. <i>Type location</i> Nosy Be, Madagascar. <i>Examined specimens</i> The list consists of 8 specimens. Madagascar: <i>Ampijoroa</i>, 1 &amp;male;, Ankarafantsika, 170m, I- 57, R.E., Insitut Scientifique de Madagascar, Genitalia No. 0 0 0 0 7 S. K. Brannoch (MNHN); <i>Distr. d’Ambanja</i>, 1 &amp;female;, Madagascar Nord, N. de Beangona-Ambevy, Vallée d’Antremabe, 400m, II- 1964, P. Soga, Genitalia No. 0 0 0 0 9 S. K. Brannoch (MNHN); <i>Nossi Bé,</i> 1 &amp;male;, Voeltzkow, genitalia R. Roy No. 4072 (MNHN); 2 &amp;female; (MNHN); 1 &amp;female;, 1900, Dr. Joly, Genitalia No. 0 0 0 0 8 S. K. Brannoch (MNHN); <i>Nossi Bé Sambirano,</i> 2 &amp;female;, J. de Coudenfiore (MNHN); <i>Toliara Prov.</i>, Réserve Spéciale de Cap Sainte Marie, 12.3 km, 262 °W Marovato, elev. 200 m 11–15 Feb 2002, 23° 34 ’ 54 ”S 45 ° 10 ’ 6 ”E, coll: Fisher, Griswold et al., California Acad. of Sciences, at light in spiny forest thicket, collection code: BLF 5501, CASENT 3006172, 5501, MN 413 Primary Voucher, GSMC 000141 (CASENT). <i>Natural history</i> Specimens studied were collected between January and February in Northern Madagascar. No specific behavioral or ecological information is known from the literature. <i>Diagnosis</i> Pronotum with a medial keel that runs from the anterior margin of the prozone to the posterior margin of the metazone. Postcervical plate and exposed thoracic membrane of the cervix broad with an approximately hexagonal shape. Females (ca. 26.5–27 mm) relatively longer than males (ca. 22.5 mm); both females and males of this species are relatively longer than those within <i>Ilomantis ginsburgae</i> n.sp. Female genitalia: gonapophysis VIII (GA) with pronounced medial outgrowth (MO); gonoplac (GL) with divergent apical cleft (AC). Male genitalia: processo distale (pda) small, adjacent to a relatively rounded posterodextral margin; processo ventrale sclerificato (pva) slightly arched along the anterior margin with a relatively straight posterior margin. Distributed within the Southern region of the Republic of Madagascar. <i>F</i> = 3 DS/ 11–12 AvS/ 4 PvS; <i>T</i> = 11–14 AvS/ 12–14 PvS. <i>Redescription</i> (all measurements in mm, unless noted otherwise) <i>Female</i> (Fig. 1 A,B). Length 26.5–27.05; forewing length 18.58–19.6; hindwing length 19.2–20.56; pronotum length 5.32–5.53; prozone length 2.0– 2.2; pronotum maximum width 1.95–2.13; pronotum minimum width 1.39–1.52; head width 4.56–4.58; head vertex to clypeus 1.63–1.97; frons width 1.76–1.85; frons height 0.47–0.53; prothoracic femur length 6.2–6.54; mesothoracic femur length 5.9–6.12; mesothoracic tibia length 4.10–4.17; mesothoracic tarsus length 3.06; metathoracic femur length 6.36–6.59; metathoracic tibia length 6.83–7.01; metathoracic tarsus length 4.27–4.74. <i>Head</i> (Fig. 7 A). Cranial vertex elevation yellow. Area posterior to the lateral ocelli concave. Ocelli reduced with relatively larger, lateral ocelli sitting within a slightly raised cylindrical ocellar tubercle; the smaller, unpaired median ocellus positioned anterior to a sulcus that lies medially between the unpaired ocellus and the antennal sclerites, spanning the distance between the antennae; area surrounding the median ocellus is very slightly raised. Antennae extend to mid-body. <i>Thorax.</i> Pronotal medial keel reaching anterior margin (Fig. 11 A). Postcervical plate and exposed thoracic membrane of the cervix broad with an approximately hexagonal shape (Fig. 13 A). Forewings opaque with light green costal region, hindwings opaque to hyaline; costal vein of both fore- and hindwings with light ciliation. <i>Prothoracic legs.</i> Femur maximum width ca. 1.3–1.5 times the value of the male femur maximum width. <i>F</i> = 3 DS/ 11–12 AvS/ 4 PvS; <i>T</i> = 12–13 AvS/ 12–14 PvS. <i>Meso- and metathoracic legs.</i> Lightly ciliated across surface with ciliation density increasing distally. Mesothoracic basitarsus approximately the same length as the remaining tarsal segments combined; metathoracic basitarsus 1.5 times longer than the remaining tarsal segments combined. <i>Abdomen.</i> Supra-anal plate triangular, ciliated across the surface, narrower than the subgenital plate. Cerci filiform, tapering. <i>Genitalia</i> (Figs 3 A, 5 A,B). Gonapophysis VIII (GA) moderately slender, variably ciliated, and visibly curved from both the ventral (VH) and lateral (LH) perspectives; GA is heavily surfaced with fossettes. From VH, GA angles inward; a rugose, sclerotized tubercle projects posterolaterad from this region; apical lobe (AL) ovoid; heavily ciliated. AL with a membrane that projects from the internal dorsal margin of the structure, forming a shallow pocket as the membrane merges with the dorsal margin of GA, lending AL the appearance of being bilobed or mitten-shaped. From LH, GA is curved ventrad; GA ventral margin features a tumescent medial outgrowth (MO), which projects posterior to the crest of the curve. GA dorsal margin is invaginated anterior to the curve towards the ventral habitus. Gonapophysis IX (GP) is relatively short, apically mammiform, and invaginated along the ventral margin; GP ventral margin features a subulate overhang, the medial tine (MT). Gonoplac (GL) is shorter than GA, broad, tumescent, variably ciliated, and obtusely arched ventrad; from LH, GL base has a rectangular dilation on the anteroventral margin. GL features a prominent apical cleft (AC) with divergent, blunted tines. From LH, GL possesses a pronounced sclerotization that traverses the length of the structure, terminating just before the AC. GL ventral and dorsal margins are sculpturate, rugose. <i>Male</i> (Fig. 1 C,D). Body length 22.49–22.51; forewing length 16.46–16.92; hindwing length 17.08–17.64; pronotum length 4.32–4.69; prozone length 1.69–1.81; pronotum maximum width 1.49–1.72; pronotum minimum width 1.08–1.36; head width 3.76–4.08; head vertex to clypeus 1.56–1.6; frons width 1.46–1.48; frons height 0.47–0.53; prothoracic femur length 5.22–5.48; mesothoracic femur length 5.35–5.7; mesothoracic tibia length 3.6–3.84; mesothoracic tarsus length 2.58–3.17; metathoracic femur length 5.53–5.71; metathoracic tibia length 6.02; metathoracic tarsus length 2.903. <i>Head</i> (Fig. 8 B). Cranial vertical margin and posterior half of lateral ocelli yellow. Area posterior to the lateral ocelli slightly concave. Ocelli well developed and sit atop a raised, ocellar tubercle; lateral ocelli relatively larger than unpaired, median ocellus. Reddish-brown pigmentation may or may not be present adjacent to the compound eyes, near the frontal sulci. Antennae extend past mid-abdomen. <i>Thorax.</i> Pronotum as in females (Fig. 11 B). Postcervical plate and exposed thoracic membrane of the cervix as in females (Fig. 13 B). Wings generally hyaline and iridescent, light ciliation across surface of both fore- and hindwings. <i>Prothoracic legs.</i> Femur maximum width ca. 0.7–0.75 times the value of the female femur maximum width. <i>F</i> = 3 DS/ 11–12 AvS/ 4 PvS; <i>T</i> = 11–14 AvS/ 13–14 PvS. <i>Meso- and metathoracic legs.</i> Lightly ciliated across surface with ciliation density increasing distally. Meso- and metathoracic basitarsus approximately the same length as the remaining tarsal segments combined. <i>Abdomen.</i> Supra-anal plate triangular, ciliated across the surface; much narrower than the subgenital plate. Subgenital plate approximately rounded at the terminus. Cerci long, compressed, tapering. Styli short. <i>Genitalia</i> (Fig. 9). Dorsal sclerotization of the left phallomeric complex elongate anteriorly, broadening towards the posterior margin; anterior process (ap) moderately narrow, recurved, and lightly sclerotized; L 4 B dextral posterolateral margin rugose; apical process (paa) tumescent, recurved distally with a rounded and moderately sclerotized apical margin. Lobo membranoso (loa) relatively short, apex moderately sclerotized. Ventral sclerotization of the left phallomere complex (i.e., the ventral phallomere) (L 4 A) longer than wide with a slightly undulate and sclerotized antero-sinistral margin; L 4 A posterior region broad, lightly ciliated; processo distale (pda) pouch-shaped, rounded apically. Anterior apodeme (an) rounded anteriorly with a slightly sclerotized sinistral margin; processo ventrale sclerificato (pva) obtusely arched, tumescent, and heavily sclerotized along the posterior and dextral margins; piastra ventrale (pia) heavily sclerotized and linearly shaped with a triangular projection along the anterior margin; pia situated on the anterior margin of a membranous fold that features a generally straight, moderately sclerotized lateral margin. R 1 posterior region ciliated with a slightly tapered, rounded posterior margin; right arm (bm) moderately narrow, pointed apically.
description: Published as part of <i>Sydney K. Brannoch &amp; Gavin J. Svenson, 2016, Leveraging female genitalic characters for generic and species delimitation in Nilomantis Werner, 1907 and Ilomantis Giglio-Tos, 1915 (Mantodea, Nilomantinae), pp. 209-244 in Insect Systematics &amp; Evolution 47</i> on pages 228-231, DOI: 10.1163/1876312X-47032141, http://zenodo.org/record/269839
description: {"references": ["Saussure, H. (1899). In: Voeltzkow, A.: Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Reisen in Madagaskar und Ostafrika in den Jahren 1889 - 1895. Orthoptera: Mantidae. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 1 (24): 567 - 664.", "Kirby, W. F. (1904) A synonymic Catalogue of Orthoptera. (Forficilidae, Hemimeridae, Blattidae, Mantidae and Phasmidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), London 1: 207 - 316.", "Giglio-Tos, E. (1915) Mantidi esotici. VIII. Acromantinae. Bollettino dei Musei di Zoologia ed Anatomia Comparata della R. Universita di Torino 30: 1 - 16.", "Paulian, R. (1957) Faune de Madagascar. Insectes Mantodea. Publications de l'Institut de Recherche Scientifique Tananarive - Tsimbazaza 5: 1 - 102.", "Roy, R. (1987) Le peuplement en Mantes des iles situees au large de l'Afrique. Bulletin de la Societe zoologique de France 112: 117 - 125.", "Ehrmann, R. (2002) Mantodea: Gottesanberinnen der Welt. Munster, Natur und Tier Verlag Munster.", "Beier, M. (1935) Genera Insectorum, Vol. 201. Mantodea. Subfamilie: Orthoderinae, Choeradodinae, Deroplatinae. Wytsman, Brussels.", "Otte, D. &amp; Spearman, L. A. (2005) Mantida species file. Catalog of the mantids of the world, volume 1. Association of Insect Diversity, Philadelphia, PA."]}