Mantids in the Mist – Taxonomy of the Andean genus Pseudopogonogaster Beier, 1942, a cloud forest specialist, with notes on its biogeography and ecology (Mantodea: espidae: Miopteryginae)

Abstract

Th e Neotropical lichen mimicking mantid genus Pseudopogonogaster Beier, 1942 is revisited and re-described. Th e examination of the type species, P. mirabilis Beier, 1942, the fi rst described species of this lineage, allowed us to determine that those species currently included in Pseudopogonogaster and Calopteromantis Terra, 1982 are all congeneric. As a result, the genus Calopteromantis is now considered to be a junior synonym of Pseudopogonogaster . Accordingly, Calopteromantis hebardi Terra, 1982 and Calopteromantis marulandae Salazar, 2002 are transferred to Pseudopogonogaster . Th e species Calopteromantis otongica Lombardo & Ayala, 1998 from Ecuador was also found to be a synonym of P. mirabilis . In addition, a new species from northwestern Peru, Pseudopogonogaster kanjaris , is described herein, thus constituting a new genus and species record for this country. Analysis of the distribution of the six recognized species of Pseudopogonogaster suggests that this genus is endemic to the mountain forests of Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru and its members are specialized inhabitants of epiphytic vegetation, exhibiting unique morphological and chromatic adaptations to these habitats. Th e newly available information on Pseudopogonogaster also allowed to determine that Calopteromantis terrai Jantsch, 1994, described from Mato Grosso, Brazil, is actually a member of the genus Eumiopteryx Giglio-Tos, 1915 (Th espidae: Pseudomiopteriginae) and, thus, is transferred to this genus as E. terrai (Jantsch, 1994) comb.n. ResumenEl género Neotropical de mantis liquen, Pseudopogonogaster Beier, 1942, es reanalizado y redescrito. El estudio de la especie tipo, P. mirabilis Beier, 1942, la primera especie de este linaje en ser descrita, J. Rivera et al. / Insect Systematics & Evolution 42 (2011) 313-335 permitió determinar que aquellas especies incluidas en Pseudopogonogaster y Calopteromantis Terra, 1982 son todas cogenéricas. Como resultado, el género Calopteromantis es considerado un nuevo sinónimo de Pseudopogonogaster . De este modo, Calopteromantis hebardi Terra, 1982 y Calopteromantis marulandae Salazar, 2002 son transferidas a Pseudopogonogaster . La especie Calopteromantis otongica Lombardo & Ayala, 1998 de Ecuador es también sinonimizada con P. mirabilis . En adición, se describe Pseudopogonogaster kanjaris sp. n., del noroeste del Perú, constituyendo así un nuevo registro genérico y específi co para este país. El análisis de la distribución de las seis especies reconocidas de Pseudopogonogaster sugiere que este género es endémico de los bosques montanos de Colombia, Ecuador y norte del Perú, y cuyos miembros se especializan en habitar sobre vegetación epífi ta, mostrando adaptaciones morfológicas y cromáticas únicas para tal hábitat. El nuevo conocimiento disponible permitió determinar que Calopteromantis terrai Jantsch, 1994, descrita del Mato Grosso, Brasil, es en realidad un miembro del género Eumiopteryx Giglio-Tos, 1915 (Th espidae: Pseudomiopteriginae) por lo que es transferida a este último género ...

Manual of praying mantis morphology, nomenclature, and practices (Insecta, Mantodea)

“…The system conceived by Rivera (2010) is reminiscent of those implemented for other organisms, such as the floral formula (Prenner et al 2010) or the mammal dental formula (Martin et al 2001) and can be applied for descriptive purposes at different hierarchical levels (e.g., species, tribe, family). Since its inception, the spination formula has been used only in a few subsequent publications (e.g., Rivera et al 2011, Ippolito and Lombardo 2012, Lombardo et al 2013, Brannoch and Svenson 2016a, 2016b). In its most recent usage, Brannoch and Svenson (2016a, 2016b) updated the formula by incorporating the morphological nomenclature of Wieland (2013) (see Foreleg annotation).…”

Genus Mantillica Westwood, 1889: rediscovery and review of the Amazonian “ant‐mantis” (Mantodea: Thespidae: Oligonicinae)

“…Mantillica does show remarkable particularities that make it a valid genus. All Oligonicinae genera urgently require a review, to accompany the present study on Mantillica, and the recent contribution by Rivera et al (2011), who studied the lichen-mantis Pseudopogonogaster Beier, 1942 with significant results. Nymphs of Mantoida, Acontista Saussure (1869) and Raptrix Terra (1995) also have myrmecomorphic aspects, as well as nymphs and females of some Oligonicinae like Bantia and Thrinaconyx, although to a lesser extent.…”

Distribution, Abundance and Molecular Analysis of Genus Barbadocladius Cranston & Krosch (Diptera, Chironomidae) in Tropical, High Altitude Andean Streams and Rivers

“…However, the molecular analysis reveals more specific taxonomic variability than what was found in Argentina and Chile, indicating the possible presence of a speciation in process from south to north along the Andes. Additionally, climatic fluctuations during the Pleistocene may also have contributed to speciation through isolation of many cold stenothermic taxa (such as Barbadocladius) in high altitude refuges (Jacobsen et al 1997, Rivera et al 2011. We hypothesize that several cryptic species are present along the latitudinal gradient from 41°to 9°S.…”

“…During this period, climatic fluctuations included cooler, drier conditions during glacial phases and warmer and higher moisture conditions during interglacial phases. These climatic fluctuations, together with the complex topography, presumably resulted in isolation of highland areas that favored high levels of endemism (Henning et al 2011, Rivera et al 2011. Furthermore, these conditions provided geographical barriers to dispersion for many taxa, such that the Huancabamba Depression corresponds to the northern or southern limit of modern distribution of many species including frogs (Duellman & Pramuk 1999), mantids (Rivera et al 2011) and plants (Cosacov et al 2009, Weigend et al 2010.…”