A revision of and keys to the genera of the Mantispinae of the Oriental and Palearctic regions (Neuroptera: Mantispidae)
Author
Snyman, Louwrens P.
Author
Sole, Catherine L.
Author
Ohl, Michael
text
Zootaxa
2018
2018-07-27
4450
5
501
549
journal article
29300
10.11646/zootaxa.4450.5.1
aebfbe64-4abc-4c7b-b4e0-88698bef5eb1
1175-5326
1444998
1CE24D40-39D3-40BF-A1A0-2D0C15DCEDE3
Genus
Mantispilla
Enderlein
Mantispilla
Enderlein, 1910
(as subgenus of
Mаntispа
Illiger in Kugelann, 1798
). Type species:
Mаntispа indicа
Westwood, 1852
, by original designation.
Synonymised with
Mаntispа
by
Penny (1982)
. (Restored here)
Sаgittаlаtа
Handschin, 1959a
. Type species:
Mаntispillа hilаris
Navás, 1925
(as "
Sаgittаlаtа hilаris
(Navás 1924 [sic])"), by original designation. (New synonym)
Perlаmаntispа
Handschin, 1960a
. Type species:
Mаntis perlа
Pallas, 1772
(as "
Mаntispа perlа
"), by original designation. Synonymised with
Sаgittаlаtа
by Snyman
et аl.
(2012).
Distribution: Afrotropical,
Oriental
and
Palearctic
: widespread across all areas.
Diagnosis
(
Fig. 13
):
Mantispilla
is most easily identified by excluding the other genera found in the regions, however, the following features characterize a cohesive generic group.
Mantispilla
can be distinguished from other Oriental and Palearctic genera by the forecoxae with longitudinal pigmentation (line) on the anterior or inner lateral sides, pronotum lacks short stout setae, but may have a few sparsely distributed setae, mesothorax either glabrous or pubescent (velvet appearance), the gonocoxites always with a well-developed inward directed flange on distal apex. These characteristics combined with an attenuated or absent crossvein between A1 and CuP distinguish
Mantispilla
from all other genera. The general colour of
Mantispilla
is yellow accompanied by black, brown or dark red (oxblood).
FIGURE 13.
Mantispilla
sp. undescribed: a. Prothorax, lateral view; b. habitus; d. prothoracic dorsum; e. terminalia, ventral view, arrows indicating inner flanges; f, terminalia caudal.
Mantispilla perla
: c. Prothorax, lateral view; g. terminalia, caudal view; h. terminalia, dorsal view.
Mantispilla hilaris
: i. terminalia, dorsal view; j. terminalia, caudal view.
Head: vertex with slight longitudinal ridge from the well-developed dome posterior to the interantennal space to the occiput, slight indentation halfway sometimes present, flattening out laterally towards the ocular margin, postocular margin broad, bearing 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 than 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 slight dorsoanteriorly directed cusp, cusp lacks short stout setae, pronotal shape of mid-section almost cylindrical, usually with regular corrugations in dorsal view, dorsum lacks setae or with sparsely distributed setae; 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 lacks setae, glabrous or pubescent (velvet appearance), mesoscutal furrows conspicuous, meet at prominent central furrow or abruptly end right before meeting, central furrow shaped as laterally compressed conical pit; mesoscutellum triangular, terminates just posterior to central furrow, metathorax smooth, lacks 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, A2 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; ectoprocts simple in dorsal view, do not extend past apex of sternite IX in lateral, in caudal view usually ventrolaterally slightly globose, tapering off towards dorsomedial line (teardrop shaped); ventromedial lobes prominent, posteroventrally or posteriorly directed; sternite IX variable, may be truncated, rounded or with apical protrusion; pseudopenis prominent and acute, longer or similar in length than pseudopenal membrane; pseudopenal membrane variable but always 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, always with well-developed inward directed flange on distal apex of gonocoxite; median gonarcal lobe an acute or sub-acute protrusion, shorter or similar in length than the length of pseudopenis; distal apex of mediuncus bifid, proximal apex of mediuncus variable, usually arrow shaped, usually extends past proximal apices of the gonocoxites.
Biology:
The biology of
Mantispilla japonica
was studied by Hirata & Ishii (1995). Several species of spiders from the
Clubionidae
,
Philodromidae
,
Salticidae
and
Thomisidae
are reported as hosts of
M. japonica
. The first instar is known to board spiders and prefer the spider pedicel as attachment position.