HYMENOPODIDAE Giglio-Tos, 1915

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 : 463

Family HYMENOPODIDAE Giglio-Tos, 1915

Sixteen genera in seven tribes and 4 subfamilies are reported from India in this family.

1. Eyes more or less extending beyond the circumference of head ( Fig. 94 ). Hind wings often with bright colouration in live ( Figs. 87, 92 , 93 ) ( Hymenopodinae )........................................................................... 2

- Eyes within the circumference of head ( Figs. 99, 104 , 106 ). Hind wings without bright colouration in live ( Figs. 105 , 111, 116 )................................................................................................ 7

2. Vertex without any process ( Fig. 88 ). Mid and hind femora with reduced lobes or lobeless ( Fig. 89 ). Eye-spot marking on fore wings absent ( Figs. 86 , 87, 90, 92 ) ( Anaxarchini )........................................................... 3

- Vertex with process ( Fig. 94 ). Mid and hind femora with distinct lobes ( Figs. 95, 97 ). Eye-spot marking on fore wings present ( Figs. 93, 96 ) ( Hymenopodini ).......................................................................... 6

3. Mid and hind femora with small sub-apical lobes ( Fig. 86 )............................................ Heliomantis

- Mid and hind femora without sub-apical lobes ( Fig. 89 )....................................................... 4

4. Pronotum long, slender, longer than fore coxa ( Fig. 87 )............................................... Anaxarcha

- Pronotum short, robust, as long as or shorter than fore coxa ( Figs. 90, 92 )......................................... 5

5. Metazone distinctly constricted ( Fig. 90 ). Foreleg metallic black in colour ( Fig. 91 )........................... Nemotha

- Metazone with almost parallel margin ( Fig. 92 ). Foreleg not in metallic black ( Fig. 92 )................... Odontomantis

6. Mid and hind femora with ventral lobe at distal part only ( Fig. 95 )...................................... Creobroter

- Mid and hind femora with ventral lobe at entire length ( Fig. 97 )....................................... Hymenopus

7. Mid and hind femora with a large lobe at the base, almost merging with sub-apical lobe ( Figs. 82, 85 ). Area around the spines on fore coxa suffused by black ( Figs. 81, 84 ) ( Phyllothelyinae )................................................ 8

- Mid and hind femora with ( Figs. 108 , 113, 116 ) or without ( Figs. 98 , 103 , 105 ) small lobe. If it is present, then not merged with sub-apical lobe. Area around the spines on fore coxa without black suffusion ( Fig. 110 ).............................. 9

8. Pronotum not elongated, with lateral pronotal expansion, metazone 1.5 times as long as prozone ( Fig. 81 ). Upper edge of fore tibiae dilated ( Fig. 81 ) ( Parablepharini )........................................................ Parablepharis

- Pronotum elongated, without lateral pronotal expansion, metazona at least 3 times as long as prozone ( Fig. 83 ). Upper edge of fore tibiae almost straight, not dilated ( Fig. 84 ) ( Phyllothelyini )....................................... Phyllothelys

9. Dorsal edge of fore femora more or less dilated like a leaf ( Figs. 98 , 102, 103 , 105, 107, 110 ). Pronotum short. Metazone almost as long as prozone ( Figs. 101 , 105, 109 ) ( Oxypilinae )....................................................... 10

- Dorsal edge of fore femora not dilated like a leaf ( Figs. 111, 115, 116 ). Pronotum elongated. Metazone at least 1.5 times as long as prozone ( Figs. 112, 115, 116 ) ( Acromantinae )........................................................... 14

10. Disc of pronotum with conical tubercles ( Fig. 109 ). Margins between posteroventral spines of fore femora without denticles ( Fig. 110 ) ( Oxypilini )........................................................................ Ceratomantis

- Disc of pronotum without any tubercles. Margins between posteroventral spines of fore femora with small denticles ( Fig. 107 ) ( Hestiasulini )....................................................................................... 11

11. Vertex with process ( Figs. 104 , 106 ). Styli present in males................................................... 12

- Vertex without any process ( Fig. 99 ). Styli absent in males ( Fig. 100 ).................................... Astyliasula

12. Wings iridescent in both sexes ( Fig. 101 ). Margins between posteroventral spines of fore femora slightly serrated.................................................................................................... Catestiasula

- Wings not iridescent ( Fig. 105 ). Margins between posteroventral spines of fore femora highly serrated................. 13

13. Disc of lower frons with indistinct carinae and central area between them not depressed ( Fig. 104 )............. Hestiasula

- Disc of lower frons with well-developed carinae and central area between them highly depressed forming a notch ( Fig. 106 ).......................................................................................... Ephestiasula

14. Disc of pronotum with prominent granules ( Fig. 112 ). Fore coxa slightly widened distally ( Fig. 112 )............. Ambivia

- Disc of pronotum smooth, sometimes with granules. Fore coxa simple ( Fig. 116 ).................................. 15

15. Eyes conical, sometimes with tubercle ( Fig. 115 )................................................. Metacromantis

- Eyes round, without tubercle ( Fig. 117 )............................................................ Acromantis

Figures

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 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 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 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 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).