Gonypetidae Westwood 1889
Creators: name: Kamila, A. P.
name: Sureshan, P. M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Mantodea
Gonypetidae

description: Family GONYPETIDAE Westwood, 1889
Two subfamilies, five tribes and ten genera of Gonypetidae occur in India.
1. Discoidal spines not arranged in a row. First discoidal spine reduced to a tubercle, third one the longest, fourth one situated just opposite to the first large anteroventral spine. First large anteroventral spine much longer than the others (Figs. 46, 49, 64) Iridopteryginae ...................................................................................... 2
- Discoidal spines arranged in a row and not as above. First large anteroventral spine almost as long as the others Gonypetinae ................................................................................................... 4
2. Body small to medium-sized, coloured (Fig. 45). Forecoxa almost as long as or a little longer than metazone. Pronotum distinctly constricted in the posterior half, metazone almost twice as long as prozone (Fig. 47) (Iridopterygini).......... 3
- Body small, bark-coloured (Fig. 48). Forecoxa much longer than metazone. Pronotum diamond-shaped, metazone almost as long as or slightly longer than prozone (Fig. 50) (Amantini)............................................. Amantis
3. First discoidal spine on fore femora smaller than fourth one (Fig. 46). Lower frons about two times wider than long.................................................................................................. Hapalopeza
- First discoidal spine larger than fourth one (Fig. 64). Lower frons about three times wider than long....... Tricondylomimus
4. Body medium-sized, dorso-ventrally flattened (Figs. 51, 54). Pronotum highly tuberculated on disc, in a shield shape (Figs. 53, 56)................................................................................................. 5
- Body small, dorso-ventrally not flattened (Figs. 57, 62, 66, 69). Pronotum less to moderately tuberculated on disc, somewhat rhomboidal in shape (Figs. 61, 70)........................................................................ 6
5. Juxta-ocular lobes of vertex conical (Fig. 55). Costal area of fore wings half as wide as discoidal area and gradually narrow towards apex (Fig. 54)........................................................................ Theopompa
- Juxta-ocular lobes prominent but not conical (Fig. 52). Costal area of fore wings narrow and not as above (Fig. 51)................................................................................................. Humbertiella
6. Basitarsus of hind leg longer than the rest tarsomeres taken together (Figs. 57, 62).................................. 7
- Basitarsus of hind leg not longer than the rest tarsomeres taken together (Figs. 65, 66, 69)............................ 8
7. All posteroventral spines almost equal in length. Proximal two posteroventral spines of fore femora always adjacent (Fig. 60)............................................................................................. Elmantis
- Second and third posteroventral spines shorter than first and last. Proximal two posteroventral spines of fore femora adjacent or well separated................................................................................ Gimantis
8. Metazone longer than prozone (Fig. 65). Fore femora not broad, superior margin straight..................... Gonypeta
- Metazone almost as long as prozone (Figs. 67, 70). Fore femora broad, superior margin slightly curved (Fig. 68)......... 9
9. Body small, around 1cm in length (Fig. 66). Pronotum rectangular. Supra-coxal dilation indistinctly marked, lateral edges of metazone almost straight (Fig. 67). Females apterous................................................ Gonypetyllis
- Body more than 1.5 cm in length (Fig. 69). Pronotum diamond-shaped. Supra-coxal dilation distinctly marked, lateral edges of metazone constricted after dilation (Fig. 70). Females brachypterous...................................... Memantis
description: Published as part of Kamila, A. P. & Sureshan, P. M., 2025, An illustrated key to the praying mantids (Insecta: Mantodea) of India up to generic level, pp. 446-480 in Zootaxa 5566 (3) on page 456, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/14703192