Mantodea

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 : 449

Key to Families of Indian Mantodea

1. Body metallic green or bluish green in colour ( Fig. 9 ). Proximal posteroventral spine of fore femora much elongate and stout ( Fig. 10 ). Fore wings with pseudovein ( Fig. 11 ).................................................. Metallyticidae

- Body non- metallic in colour. Proximal posteroventral spine of fore femora not as above, same as other posteroventral spines. Fore wings without pseudovein.......................................................................... 2

2. Pronotum short, trapezoidal, without any lateral pronotal expansions ( Fig. 136 ). Fore femora with only one discoidal spine. Fore tibia devoid of spines except tibial spur ( Fig. 137 ). Distal cercomere expanded like a leaf( Fig. 138 ).. Amorphoscelidae

- Pronotum distinctly longer than broad, sometimes with lateral pronotal expansions. Fore femora with more than one discoidal spine. Fore tibia usually with two rows of spines and tibial spur. Distal cercomere not expanded as above............... 3

3. Anteroventral spines of fore femora arranged 1 long and 3-4 short alternately ( Figs. 75, 77 ). Antennae of male bipectinate ( Fig.74 )..................................................................................... Empusidae

- Anteroventral spines of fore femora arranged differently, usually 1 long and 1 short alternately ( Fig. 37 ). Antennae of male simple, sometimes ciliate ( Fig. 58 )........................................................................ 4

4. Fore tibial posteroventral spines numerous, mostly arranged closely and more or less decumbent ( Fig. 114 ), sometimes otherwise ( Fig. 84 ). Usually vertex with process ( Figs. 81, 83 , 94 , 104 , 106 , 117 ). Fore femora sometimes with leaf-like dilation ( Figs. 98 , 102, 103 , 105, 107, 110 ). Fore wings often with transverse bands or eye-like markings ( Figs. 83 , 93, 96 ) and hind wings with bright colouration ( Figs. 92 , 93 )............................................................. Hymenopodidae

- Fore tibial posteroventral spines less in number, well separated and not decumbent ( Figs. 141 , 149 ). Vertex sometimes with process. Fore femora simple, without leaf-like dilations ( Figs. 37 , 43 , 141 ). Fore wings without eye-like markings as above and hind wings with or without colouration.................................................................... 5

5. Antennae and/or anterior margin of fore wings distinctly ciliated at least in males ( Figs. 58, 59 ), if not, then disc of pronotum highly tuberculated ( Fig. 53 ). Pronotum short or a little elongated, more or less denticulated laterally or tuberculated on disc ( Figs. 47 , 53 , 61 , 72 ). Eyes round........................................................................ 6

- Antennae or anterior margin of fore wings not ciliated as above. Pronotum mostly elongated or with lateral pronotal expansions ( Figs. 16 , 28 , 118, 120 , 123 , 133 , 144 , 148 ) sometimes denticulated laterally, but without tubercles on disc. Eyes round to conical ( Figs. 15, 17, 19 , 21 , 30 , 36 , 134 , 140 ).............................................................. 7

6. Body mostly small, bark coloured ( Figs. 48 , 51, 54 , 57, 62 , 66 , 69 ). Pronotum short, more or less tuberculated on disc, lateral sides mostly smooth, metazone as long as or a little longer than prozone ( Figs. 47, 50 , 53, 56 , 61 , 67 , 70 ) sometimes pronotum with spine-like structure at maximum dilation ( Fig. 53 )............................................. Gonypetidae

- Body medium-sized ( Fig. 71 ). Pronotum elongated, not tuberculated on disc, lateral sides more or less denticulated, metazone distinctly longer than prozone, pronotum without spine-like structure at maximum dilation ( Figs. 71, 72 )....... Haaniidae

7. Body mostly brown colored. Fore wings with enlarged, black anal area ( Figs. 29, 32 , 33 )................... Rivetinidae

- Body green or brown colored. Fore wings without black anal area as above ( Figs. 35 , 121 , 124, 127 , 133 )............... 8

8. Body long, bizarre (unusual) shaped ( Figs. 35, 38 , 40 ). Eyes mostly with a lateral spine or tubercle ( Figs. 36 , 41 ). Mid and hind legs mostly with lobular structures ( Figs. 38 , 40 )................................................... Toxoderidae

- Body not bizarre shaped. Eyes without lateral spine or tubercle ( Figs. 134 , 140 ). Mid and hind legs sometimes with small lobes............................................................................................... 9

9. Eyes mostly oblong ( Fig. 15, 17, 19 , 24, 26 ). Pronotum more or less rectangular and depressed. Supra-coxal dilation indistinctly to moderately marked ( Figs. 14 , 20 , 23 , 27 ).................................................... Eremiaphilidae

- Eyes rounded or slightly conical. Pronotum neither rectangular nor depressed as above. Supra-coxal dilation distinctly marked ( Figs. 118 , 123, 125 , 144 , 148 ).......................................................................... 10

10. Body resembling stick or leaf. Pronotum either very long, at least 5 times as long as wide ( Figs. 119–121 ) or with large lateral pronotal expansion along entire length ( Fig. 118 )................................................. Deroplatyidae

- Body different. Pronotum slender or a little elongate, sometimes with lateral pronotal expansion ( Figs.124, 125 , 133 , 144 , 148 )............................................................................................... 11

11. Body small and delicate usually green in colour ( Figs. 139 , 143 , 147 ). Lower frons transverse and narrow ( Figs. 140 , 145 ). 12

- Body large and strong, green or brown in colour ( Figs. 124, 127 , 133 ). Lower frons not as above, usually broad and pentagonal ( Fig. 134 ).................................................................................... Mantidae

12. Fore femora with 3 discoidal spines. Posteroventral spines of fore tibiae gradually increase in length towards apex ( Fig. 149 )......................................................................................... Nanomantidae

- Fore femora with 4 discoidal spines. Posteroventral spines of fore tibiae unequal in length and irregularly placed ( Fig. 141 )....................................................................................... Leptomantellidae

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 135–140. 135) Amorphoscelis sp. 136) Amorphoscelis sp., pronotum, dorsal view. 137) Amorphoscelis sp., foreleg, dorsal view. 138) Amorphoscelis sp., cerci, ventral view. 139) Leptomantella sp. 140) Leptomantella parva (Uvarov), head, frontal view.

FIGURES 75–80. 75) Gongylus gongylodes, foreleg, ventral view. 76) Empusa guttula (Thunberg). 77) E. guttula, foreleg, ventral view. 78) Blepharopsis mendica (Fabricius) (©MantID). 79) B. mendica, foreleg and pronotum, dorsal view (©MantID). 80) Parablepharis kuhlii De Haan (©MantID).

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.

FIGURES 33–38. 33) Rivetinula fraterna (Saussure) (©MantID). 34) R. fraterna, sub-genital plate, lateral view (©MantID). 35) Heterochaetula fissispinis Wood-Mason. 36) H. fissispinis, head, dorsal view. 37) H. fissispinis, foreleg, ventral view. 38) Aethalochroa ashmoliana (Westwood).

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 111–116. 111) Ambivia undata (Fabricius). 112) A. undata, pronotum and forecoxa, dorsal view. 113) A. undata, middle and hind femora, ventral view. 114) A. undata, foretibia, dorsal view. 115) Metacromantis nigrofemorata Ghate, Rao, Javed & Roy (©Ghate, 2006). 116) Acromantis lobofemorata Kamila & Sureshan.

FIGURES 81–86. 81) Parablepharis kuhlii, forelegs and pronotum, dorsal view (©MantID). 82) P. kuhlii, middle and hind legs, ventral view (©MantID). 83) Phyllothelys sp. 84) Phyllothelys sp., foreleg, dorsal view. 85) Phyllothelys sp., middle and hind femora, ventral view. 86) Heliomantis elegans (Navás) (©SMNK).

FIGURES 93–98. 93) Creobroter laevicollis (Saussure). 94) C. laevicollis, head, dorsal view. 95) C. laevicollis, middle and hind femora, ventral view. 96) Hymenopus coronatus (Olivier) (©MantID). 97) H. coronatus, ventral view (©MantID). 98) Astyliasula sp. (©MantID).

FIGURES 99–104. 99) Astyliasula sp., head, dorsal view (©MantID). 100) Astyliasula sp., sub-genital plate, ventral view. 101, 102) Catestiasula nitida (Brunner de Wattenwyl) (©MantID). 103) Hestiasula brunneriana Saussure. 104) H. brunneriana, head, frontal view.

FIGURES 105–110. 105) Ephestiasula woodmasoni Mukherjee, Stiewe & Ghorai. 106) E. woodmasoni, head, frontal view. 107) Ephestiasula rogenhoferi (Saussure), forefemur. ventral view. 108) Ceratomantis ghatei Roy & Svenson. 109) C. ghatei, pronotum, dorsal view. 110) C. ghatei, foreleg, ventral view.

FIGURES 117–122. 117) Acromantis lobofemorata, head, dorsal view. 118) Deroplatys indica Roy. 119) Pseudempusa pinnapavonis Brunner De Wattenwyl (©Kawin Jiaranaisakul). 120) Indomenella indica (Ghate & Mukherjee), female. 121) I. indica, male. 122) Asiadodis squilla (Saussure) (©MantID).

FIGURES 87–92. 87) Anaxarcha sp. 88) Anaxarcha sp., head, dorsal view. 89) Anaxarcha sp., middle and hind femora, ventral view. 90) Nemotha metallica (Westwood). 91) N. metallica, foreleg, dorsal view. 92) Odontomantis pulchra (Fabricius).

FIGURES 141–146. 141) Leptomantella parva, foreleg, dorsal view. 142) Nanomantis lactea Mukherjee, ventral view (©Tushar K. Mukherjee). 143) Parananomantis fascifemorata Sureshan, Kamila & Fasano. 144) P. fascifemorata, pronotum, dorsal view. 145) P. fascifemorata, head, frontal view. 146) P. fascifemorata, forewing proximal area.

FIGURES 147–150. Eomantis guttatipennis (Stál). 147) Lateral view. 148) Pronotum, dorsal view. 149) Foreleg, dorsal view. 150) Forewing proximal area.

FIGURES 39–44. 39) Aethalochroa ashmoliana, head, dorsal view. 40) Toxoderopsis spinigera Wood-Mason. 41) T. spinigera, head, frontal view. 42) T. spinigera, forecoxa, dorsal view. 43) T. spinigera, foreleg, dorsal view. 44) T. spinigera, fifth abdominal sternite.

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 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 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 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).

FIGURES 123–128. 123) Asiadodis squilla, head and pronotum, dorsal view (©MantID). 124) Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure. 125) Rhombomantis woodmasoni (Werner). 126) Rhombodera fratricida Wood-Mason (©MantID). 127) Mantis religiosa L. 128) M. religiosa, forelegs, ventral view.

FIGURES 129–134. 129) Statilia sp. 130) Statilia sp., forelegs, ventral view. 131) Mesopteryx alata Saussure (©Trustees of the Natural History Museum-NHMUK012497826). 132) Tenospilota nova (Beier), body, ventral view (©Thornthan Unnahachote). 133) Tenodera superstitiosa (Fabricius). 134) Tenodera aridifolia (Stoll), head, frontal view.

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 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.