A comprehensive taxonomic sampling of Mantodea (praying mantises), covering virtually all higher-level groups, was assembled to reconstruct the phylogeny of the order. Sequence data were generated from five mitochondrial and four nuclear loci (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, Histone III, Cytochrome Oxidase I & II, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4, and Wingless) for 329 mantis exemplars along with seven cockroach and eight termite species. Only seven of 14 families, 14 of 33 subfamilies, and seven of 14 tribes were recovered as monophyletic, indicating that phylogeny is largely incongruent with classification. Mapping biogeographical regions on the phylogeny demonstrated that our results adhere closer to biogeographical distributions than to classification. Specific patterns in distribution suggest that major morphological convergences have confounded taxonomistsÕ ability to reconstruct natural groups. A major revision of higher-level relationships is in order through a comprehensive investigation of morphology and molecular data. We found that major mantis lineages diverged prior to and during the isolation of geographical regions and subsequent ecomorphic specializations within

Understanding the origin and diversification of organisms requires a good phylogenetic estimate of their age and diversification rates. This estimate can be difficult to obtain when samples are limited and fossil records are disputed, as in Dictyoptera. To choose among competing hypotheses of origin for dictyopteran suborders, we root a phylogenetic analysis (~800 taxa, 10 kbp) within a large selection of outgroups and calibrate datings with fossils attributed to lineages with clear synapomorphies. We find the following topology: (mantises, (other cockroaches, (Cryptocercidae, termites)). Our datings suggest that crown-Dictyoptera—and stem-mantises—would date back to the Late Carboniferous (~ 300 Mya), a result compatible with the oldest putative fossil of stem-dictyoptera. Crown-mantises, however, would be much more recent (~ 200 Mya; Triassic/Jurassic boundary). This pattern (i.e., old origin and more recent diversification) suggests a scenario of replacement in carnivory among polyneopterous insects. The most recent common ancestor of (cockroaches + termites) would date back to the Permian (~275 Mya), which contradicts the hypothesis of a Devonian origin of cockroaches. Stem-termites would date back to the Triassic/Jurassic boundary, which refutes a Triassic origin. We suggest directions in extant and extinct species sampling to sharpen this chronological framework and dictyopteran evolutionary studies.

Abstract.  The previously unknown phylogenetic relationships among Mantodea (praying mantids) were inferred from DNA sequence data. Five genes (16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, cytochrome oxidase II and histone 3) were sequenced for sixty‐three taxa representing major mantid lineages and outgroups. The monophyly of mantid families and subfamilies was tested under varying parameter settings using parsimony and Bayesian analyses. The analyses revealed the paraphyly of Hymenopodidae, Iridopterygidae, Mantidae, and Thespidae and the monophyly of the Amorphoscelidae subfamily Paraoxypilinae. All represented subfamilies of Iridopterygidae and Mantidae appear paraphyletic. Mantoididae is sister group to the rest of the sampled mantid taxa. Lineages congruent with current subfamilial taxonomy include Paraoxypilinae, Hoplocoryphinae, Hymenopodinae, Acromantinae and Oligonicinae. The mantid hunting strategy is defined as either generalist, cursorial or ambush predators. By mapping hunting strategy onto our phylogeny, we reconstructed the ancestral predatory condition as generalist hunting, with three independent shifts to cursorial hunting and one shift to ambush hunting, associated with the largest radiation of mantid species.

Some praying mantids have sensitive ultrasonic hearing arising from a unique 'cyclopean' ear located in the ventral metathorax. The present study explores the evolutionary history of the mantis auditory system by integrating large anatomical, neurophysiological, behavioural, and molecular databases. Using an 'auditory phylogeny' based on 13 morphological characters, we identified a primitively earless form of metathoracic anatomy in several extant taxa. In addition, there are five distinct mantis auditory systems. Three of these can be identified anatomically, and the other two can only be detected neurophysiologically. Superimposing these results onto a phylogenetic tree derived from molecular data from seven genes shows that the cyclopean mantis ear evolved once approximately 120 Mya. All the other auditory system types are either varying degrees of secondary loss, or are recent innovations that each occurred independently multiple times. The neurophysiological response to ultrasound is remarkably consistent across all taxa tested, as is the multicomponent, in-flight behaviour triggered by ultrasound. Thus, mantids have an ancient, highly conserved auditory neural-behavioural system. Although ultrasonic hearing in several insect groups evolved in response to bat predation, mantis hearing predates the appearance of bats (approximately 63 Mya) and must originally have functioned in communication, prey detection, or avoidance of nonbat predators.

The spittlebug superfamily Cercopoidea (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha) comprises approximately 3000 phytophagous species (including some economically important pests of grass crops) classified among the families Cercopidae, Aphrophoridae, Epipygidae, Clastopteridae and Machaerotidae. However, the monophyly of these taxa has never been tested and the evolutionary relationships among these major lineages are unknown. Presented here are the results of the first ever phylogenetic investigation of the higher‐level relationships within Cercopoidea, based on DNA nucleotide sequence data from six loci (18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, histone 3, wingless, cytochrome oxidase I and cytochrome oxidase II) generated from exemplars of 109 spittlebug species representing all five described families, seven of eight subfamilies and 61 genera (eight additional exemplars, representing a selection of other Auchenorrhyncha taxa, were included as outgroups). The resulting topologies are used to evaluate the monophyly of each cercopoid family, and further to calculate divergence date estimates to examine the chronological origins and historical diversification of Cercopoidea. The results of this investigation suggest that: (i) four of the five described families are monophyletic; Epipygidae was recovered consistently as originating within Aphrophoridae; (ii) the exclusively Old World Machaerotidae is the most anciently diversified family of extant spittlebugs; (iii) New World Cercopidae (i.e. Ischnorhininae) constitute a derived monophyletic lineage; (iv) the genus Microsargane Fowler, classified currently within Aphrophoridae, actually belongs within Cercopidae; and (v) the origins of the major spittlebug lineages probably coincided with the breakup of Pangaea and, subsequently, Gondwana, as well as major floristic diversification such as the rise of angiosperms.

No abstract

This study provides a comprehensive review of historical morphological nomenclature used for praying mantis (Mantodea) morphology, which includes citations, original use, and assignment of homology. All referenced structures across historical works correspond to a proposed standard term for use in all subsequent works pertaining to praying mantis morphology and systematics. The new standards are presented with a verbal description in a glossary as well as indicated on illustrations and images. In the vast majority of cases, originally used terms were adopted as the new standard. In addition, historical morphological topographical homology conjectures are considered with discussion on modern interpretations. A new standardized formulation to present foreleg femoral and tibial spines is proposed for clarity based on previous works. In addition, descriptions for methods of collection, curation, genital complex dissection, and labeling are provided to aid in the proper preservation and storage of specimens for longevity and ease of study. Due to the lack of consistent linear morphometric measurement practices in the literature, we have proposed a series of measurements for taxonomic and morphological research. These measurements are presented with figures to provide visual aids with homologous landmarks to ensure compatibility and comparability across the Order. Finally, our proposed method of pinning mantises is presented with a photographical example as well as a video tutorial available at http://mantodearesearch.com.

We perform phylogenetic analyses of the 'polymorphic earless praying mantises', a heterogeneous assemblage comprising c. 55% of mantodean diversity in the Neotropics. Bayesian and maximum-likelihood were implemented on a DNA dataset of 9949 aligned nucleic acid characters comprising ten mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Our analyses largely resolved congruent relationships with high levels of support for higher-level taxonomic groups, but revealed extensive inconsistencies between the resolved topology and morphology-based classification systems. The polymorphic earless praying mantises, now granted superfamily status as the Acanthopoidea stat.n., comprises 8 families, 15 subfamilies and 18 tribes. Our newly revised organization required the following taxonomic changes: (i) Thespidae sensu n., including subfamilies Pseudopogonogastrinae subfam.n., Pseudomiopteryginae sensu n., Bantiinae subfam.n., Miobantiinae sensu n. and Thespinae sensu n. (tribes Musoniellini trib.n. and Thespini sensu n.); (ii) Angelidae stat.n. et sensu n.; (iii) Coptopterygidae stat.n.; (iv) Liturgusidae sensu n.; (v) Photinaidae stat.n., including Macromantinae stat.n., Cardiopterinae stat.n., Photiomantinae subfam.n. and Photinainae sensu n. (tribes Microphotinini trib.n., Orthoderellini stat.n. and Photinaini sensu n.); (vi) Stenophyllidae stat.n.; (vii) Acontistidae stat.n.; and (viii) Acanthopidae sensu n. Our new system also resulted in the reassignment of various genera to new and existing higher-level taxa, the exclusion of old world genera otherwise traditionally classified among the Thespidae, Liturgusidae and Angelidae, the confirmation of Stenophylla Westwood as member of this clade, and the revalidation of Paradiabantia Piza stat.r. We provide diagnoses for all suprageneric taxa using external morphological characters and male genitalia. A key to higher-level groups is provided. We incorporate egg case structural variation as a novel approach for taxon delineation.This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid: zoobank.