GONYPETIDAE Westwood, 1889

Kamila, A. P. & Sureshan, P. M., 2025, An illustrated key to the praying mantids (Insecta: Mantodea) of India up to generic level, Zootaxa 5566 (3), pp. 446-480 : 456

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

Figures

FIGURES 45–50. 45) Hapalopeza nilgirica Wood-Mason. 46) H. nilgirica, foreleg, lateroventral view. 47) H. nilgirica, pronotum, dorsal view. 48) Amantis saussurei (Bolivar). 49) A. saussurei, foreleg, lateral view. 50) Amantis sp., pronotum, dorsal view.

FIGURES 63–68. 63) Tricondylomimus coomani Chopard. 64) T. coomani, foreleg, lateral view. 65) Gonypeta punctata (De Haan) (©MantID). 66) Gonypetyllis semuncialis Wood-Mason. 67) G. semuncialis, pronotum, dorsal view. 68) G. semuncialis, foreleg, dorsal view.

FIGURES 51–56. 51) Humbertiella similis Giglio-Tos. 52) H. similis, head, dorsal view. 53) H. similis, pronotum, dorsal view. 54) Theopompa ophthalmica (Olivier). 55) T. ophthalmica, head, dorsal view. 56) T. ophthalmica, pronotum, dorsal view.

FIGURES 57–62. 57) Elmantis sp. 58) Elmantis sp., antennae. 59) Elmantis sp., anterior margin of forewing. 60) Elmantis sp., foreleg, dorsal view. 61) Elmantis sp., pronotum, dorsal view. 62) Gimantis authaemon (Wood-Mason) (©Trustees of the Natural History Museum-NHMUK012496481).

FIGURES 69–74. 69) Memantis sp. 70) Memantis sp., pronotum, dorsal view. 71) Caliris mukherjeei Kamila & Sureshan. 72) Arria meghalayensis Mukherjee, pronotum, dorsal view. 73) Gongylus gongylodes (L.). 74) G. gongylodes, head, dorsal view.