EREMIAPHILIDAE Saussure, 1869

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 : 455

Family EREMIAPHILIDAE Saussure, 1869

Three of the four subfamilies are currently recorded from India. Eremiaphilinae is composed of two genera, with one genus in India. The only genus in Parathespinae is recorded from India. Subfamily Iridinae contains four tribes, all of which occur in India.

1. Body short and stout. Pronotum slightly longer than broad or squarish ( Fig. 12 ). Sub-genital plate of females with 2 long spines ( Fig. 13 ) ( Eremiaphilinae )................................................................... Eremiaphila

- Body slender. Pronotum distinctly longer than broad. Sub-genital plate of females without any spine................... 2

2. Fore femora with 4 posteroventral spines. Disc of pronotum granulated ( Fig. 14 ). Lower frons very narrow ( Fig. 15 ) ( Parathespinae )............................................................................. Parathespis

- Fore femora with 5, sometimes 4, posteroventral spines. Disc of pronotum not granulated. Lower frons trapezoidal or pentagonal ( Figs. 21, 26 ) ( Iridinae )................................................................................ 3

3. Body very long and slender ( Fig. 16 ). Fore femora with 3 discoidal spines. Eyes conical with sharply pointed upper edge ( Fig. 17 ) ( Schizocephalini )...................................................................... Schizocephala

- Body medium-sized and slender ( Figs. 18, 20 , 23, 25 , 27 ). Fore femora with 4 discoidal spines. Eyes mostly conical, but without pointed upper edge ( Figs. 19 , 21, 24, 26 )............................................................ 4

4. Juxta-ocular lobes of vertex prolonged into a long conical process ( Fig. 19 ) ( Didymocoryphini ).......... Didymocorypha

- Juxta-ocular lobes of vertex not as above................................................................... 5

5. Body green or brown. Eyes round. Metazone as long as fore coxa ( Fig. 27 ) ( Iridini ).............................. Iris

- Body brown. Eyes oblong or oval. Metazone longer than fore coxa ( Figs. 20 , 23, 25 ) ( Dysaulini ) ...................... 6

6. Fore femora with 5 posteroventral spines. Vertex deeply excavated ( Figs. 24, 26 )................................... 7

- Fore femora with 4 posteroventral spines ( Fig. 22 ). Vertex not excavated as above ( Fig.21 )............. Dysaulophthalma

7. Juxta-ocular lobes not extending over eyes ( Fig. 24 ). Second posteroventral spine longer than others. Hind wings with an oval dark patch( Fig. 23 ).............................................................................. Dysaules

- Juxta-ocular lobes extending over eyes ( Fig. 26 ). First posteroventral spine longer than others. Hind wings without any oval dark patch ( Fig. 25 )........................................................................ Oxyophthalma

Figures

FIGURES 9–14. 9) Metallyticus splendidus Westwood (©Chien C. Lee). 10) M. splendidus, foreleg, dorsal view (©MantID). 11) M. splendidus, wings (©MantID). 12) Eremiaphila dagi Doganlar (©MantID). 13) E. dagi, sub-genital plate, ventral view (©MantID). 14) Parathespis humbertiana Saussure.

FIGURES 15–20. 15) Parathespis humbertiana, head, frontal view. 16) Schizocephala bicornis (L.). 17) S. bicornis, head, dorsal view. 18) Didymocorypha lanceolata (Fabricius). 19) D. lanceolata, head, dorsal view. 20) Dysaulophthalma nathani Stiewe.

FIGURES 21–26. 21) Dysaulophthalma nathani, head, frontal view. 22) D. nathani, foreleg, dorsal view. 23) Dysaules himalayanus Wood-Mason. 24) D. himalayanus, head, dorsal view. 25) Oxyophthalma engaea (Wood-Mason). 26) O. engaea, head, frontal view.

FIGURES 27–32. 27) Iris oratoria (L.) (©MantID). 28) Cotigaonopsis providenceae Vyjayandi. 29) Deiphobella laticeps (Wood-Mason). 30) Deiphobella laticeps, head, dorsal view. 31) D. laticeps, cerci, dorsal view. 32) Deiphobe infuscata (Saussure).