Otomantis casaica Giglio-Tos 1915
Creators: name: Lombardo, Francesco
name: Stiewe, Martin B. D.
name: Ippolito, Salvatrice
name: Marletta, Alessandro
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Mantodea
Hymenopodidae
Otomantis
Otomantis casaica

description: Otomantis casaica Giglio-Tos, 1915
(Figs 2D, L; 3D, H; 4D, F; 5D; 6E, F, M; 13)
Otomantis casaica Giglio-Tos (1915: 102, female; Original description)
Otomantis casaica Giglio-Tos (1927: 653); Beier (1934: 18); Ehrmann (2002: 249); Otte & Spearman (2005: 82)
Otomantis capirica Giglio-Tos (1915: 102, male)
Phylloharpax xenocentrus Werner (1915: 85)
Type material. Holotype of Otomantis casaica 1♀ from D. R. CONGO: Galli-Koku (MRAC);
Other material. D. R. CONGO: Isangi (ex syntype of O. capirica) ♂ (MRAC); D. R. CONGO: Kasai 1♀, 1912 (coll. Lombardo) (MABC); Tshuapa, Flandria 2♂, IX-1946 / VIII 1947, Rév. P. Hulstaert, (MRAC); Tshuapa, Lukolela 1♂ and 1♀ (coll. Lombardo) (MDAB); Tshuapa, Bamanya 1♀, VIII.1963, Rev. Hulstaert (MRAC); Equat: Boende 1♂, I- V-1939, R. P. Wynants, (MRAC); Sankuru: Komi 1♂, 30-V-1929, J. Ghesquière, (MRAC); Haut-Lopori 1♂, V-VI-1927, J. Ghesquière, (MRAC); Sankuru: Komi 1♂, VII-1928, J. Ghesquière, (MRAC); Simba Lokolenge (Lulonga) 1♂ V-1927, J. Ghesquière, (MRAC); Lodga 1♂, 5-V-1929, J. Ghesquière, (MRAC).
Remarks. Giglio-Tos (1915) briefly described two new species: O. casaica based on only one female specimen from Casai (Northern D. R. Congo) and O. capirica based on two specimens of both sexes, a female from Kapiri (Southern D.R. Congo) and a male from Isangi (Northern D.R. Congo) (not Irangi as Giglio-Tos erroneously reported). We have examined the types of these two species and determined that the male and female of O. capirica are not conspecific, as suggested by both the shape of the pronotum and the legs, which are very different. Unfortunately, it was not possible to examine the vertical process of vertex, as the male’s head was missing. Since the male from Isangi is conspecific with a series of male and female specimens from Casai (the males have the same external genitalia shape) we decided to attribute it to O. casaica. The female type O. capirica (from Kapiri) is now the sole type for the species (see lectotype designation note under O. capirica).
Diagnosis. This species differs from all other members in the “ scutigera ” group in having stockier pronotum. The most closely related species seems to be the new species O. bolivari, as evidenced by the short distal process on the ventral phallomere in the males of both species.
Female re-description..
General coloration: Body dark ochre; mesothoracic wings with numerous dark spots, often larger than those observed in males.
Measurements (mm): TL 20; HW 4.5–4.6; PL 4.9–5; SDW 3.2–3.4; ML 2.5–2.6; MPW 1.8; CL 5.1; FL 6.4–6.6; MFW 3; WL 17.
Head (Fig. 2L): Transverse, 1.47 times wider than pronotal supracoxal dilation; vertex rounded, vertical process of vertex bifid, juxta-ocular tubercles similar to male; frontal shield transverse with a small tooth on its upper margin.
Pronotum (Figs. 4D, F): Rhomboidal, 1.47 times longer than wide; prozone stout, lateral margins thinly denticulate, disc with a pair of big, conical median tubercles; metazone with a deep depression behind supracoxal sulcus and with a longitudinal median carina; lateral margins of supracoxal dilation forming an obtuse angle; metazone with two conical tubercles near its posterior margin.
Forelegs: Coxae exceed the posterior margin of pronotum; anterior margin with 8–10 minute, dark teeth; internal lobes divergent. Femora 2.2 times as long as wide, dorsal margin with a series of small teeth. Spination formula F = 4ES/11IS/4DS and T = 10–11ES/8IS.
Meso and metathoracic legs: Femora robust, exhibiting a distal triangular lobe, larger in metafemora; tibiae shorter than femora, with a basal swelling; tarsi ochraceous with dark apex.
Wings: Mesothoracic wings opaque and ochre, with numerous small dark spots. Metathoracic wings hyaline and chestnut colored, discoidal area with brownish lateral color and some dark spots.
Abdomen: Robust, cylindrical.
Male description.
General coloration: Body light to medium ochre, generally lighter than female, with scattered small dark spots. Maxillary palpi ochre with last two segments turning darker distally. Labial palpi ochre, distal segment dark. Mandibles ochre, with dark apex. Antennae ochraceous for about 1/3 of their length, distal portion dark. Internal surface of the anterior coxae ochraceous with dark spots, dark near the apex. Trochanter internally darkened. Anterior femora externally ochraceous but dark internally; dorsal side with two ochre spots.
Measurements (mm): TL 22; HW 4.6; PL 4.4; ML 2.4; SDW 3.4; MPW 1.8; CL 4.7; FL 5.6; MFW 2.7; WL 19 x 4.6.
Head (Fig. 2D): Transverse, 1.35 times wider than pronotal supracoxal dilation; vertex straight, vertical process of vertex considerably smaller than in O. scutigera, 0.6 times higher than wide, juxta-ocular tubercles conical; eyes kidney-like with a distinct apical spine; frontal shield transverse, pentagonal, about 3.30 times wider than high, apex with a short spike folded forward.
Pronotum (Figs. 3D, H) Rhomboidal, stocky, 1.37 times longer than wide; prozone stout, lateral margin with 4–5 small dark tubercles, disc with a pair of big, conical median tubercles; metazone with a deep depression behind supracoxal sulcus (Fig. 3D), with a longitudinal median carina; lateral margins of supracoxal dilation forming an obtuse angle.
Forelegs: Coxae about 1.05 times longer than pronotum, anterior margin with a series of small dark granules (8–10), bearing a seta at the apex. Internal apical lobes divergent. Femora flattened (ratio length/width: 2.07), dorsal margin curved, toothed and with widest part 2/3 from base (Fig. 5D). Spination formula F= ES/11IS/4DS and T =10–11ES/9IS. External spines ochre; internal and discoidal spines ochre with dark apex.
Meso and metathoracic legs: Femora robust, with its distal triangular lobe larger on hind femora; tibiae shorter than femora with a basal swelling; tarsi ochraceous with dark apex.
Wings: Mesothoracic wings ovoid, about 4.13 times longer than maximum width; auburn, with numerous little chestnut spots. Metathoracic wings semi-hyaline and chestnut colored.
Abdomen: Cylindrical; supra-anal plate triangular in shape with rounded apex; subgenital plate longer than wide, not incised at apex. Cerci conical, shorter than those of O. scutigera.
External genitalia: Ventral phallomere rhomboidal (Fig. 6M), longer than wide, distal process (dp) short with acuminated apex turned upwardly. Left phallomere (Fig. 6E) with dorsal lamina (dl) well sclerotized in anterior part; posterior part enlarged and membranous; ventral lamina (Fig. 6F, vl) weakly developed, anterior process (ap) smooth and short; lateral process (lp) absent. Phalloid apophysis (af) narrow and elongated. Right phallomere inconspicuous.
Distribution. O. casaica is the most common and broadly distributed species, extending across the whole
Northern territory of the D. R. of Congo (Fig.13).
description: Published as part of Lombardo, Francesco, Stiewe, Martin B. D., Ippolito, Salvatrice & Marletta, Alessandro, 2014, A taxonomic revision of Otomantis Bolivar, 1890 (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae, Acromantinae) with description of five new species, pp. 169-193 in Zootaxa 3797 (1) on pages 180-182, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3797.1.13, http://zenodo.org/record/4915425