The Neotropical ‘polymorphic earless praying mantises’ – Part I: molecular phylogeny and revised higher‐level systematics (Insecta: Mantodea, Acanthopoidea)

Abstract

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.

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

“…The examination of first instar specimens is likely to shed further light on the evolution of foreleg spination and uncertain cases of morphological assignment (e.g., Wieland 2013; Rivera and Svenson 2016). …”

“…For instance, in certain thespids the foretibial AvS may exhibit spines of various sizes, and the size of the gaps between each spine of the series may also vary. All of this information is taxonomically relevant (e.g., Rivera and Svenson 2016). The spination formula cannot account for such variation without resorting to complex annotations, which will ultimately turn this tool into an overly complicated system and thus contrary to its intended use.…”

“…9), of which there are six auditory types with four that are morphologically distinguishable (see Yager and Svenson 2008). While many mantodean taxa possess hearing organs, there are lineages of primitively earless mantises (e.g., Acanthopoidea, see Rivera and Svenson 2016). …”

“…and phylogenetically scattered, Breland and Dobson (1947) suggested that oothecae exhibit distinct species-specific characters, providing a preliminary assessment of ootheca variability for the first time. A recent revision of Acanthopoidea, the polymorphic earless praying mantises, demonstrated that ootheca characters were useful for delimiting higher-level taxa (Rivera and Svenson 2016). This study, in addition to available literature records, strongly suggests that oothecal architecture does in fact exhibit great potential for taxonomic and systematic inference in Mantodea.…”

“…For this reason, we consider that oothecae constitute a relevant piece of information deserving further attention from researchers. We suggest that, when possible, oothecae should be included in species descriptions and general taxonomic treatments of Mantodea (e.g., Roy 2002a, Roy and Stiewe 2009, Svenson 2014; Tedrow et al 2014, Rivera and Svenson 2016). …”