Mantis religiosa sinica Bazyluk, 1960

Figs 34–46, 47–51

Mantis religiosa sinica Bazyluk, 1960: 255.

Mantis religiosa sinica Bazyluk, 1960: 255; Kim 2010: 31; Kim 2021: 65. Korean record.

Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758): ESK and KSAE 1994: 44. Korean record.

Specimens examined.

[NASIC] South Korea: GW: 3 ♂, Hotel Ramada, Daegwallyeong Pass, Pyeongchang-gun, 22 VIII 2019, JuHyeong Sohn; GG: 1 ♀, Jeongok-eup, Yeoncheon-gun, 22 VIII 84, Sunhee Jang; 1 ♀, Mt. Acha, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 8 IX 1977, Sunhee Yoon, Sungshin Univ.; 1 Nymph 1 ♂ 4 ♀, Island Gureopdo, Gureop-ri, Deokjeok-myeon, Incheon, 17 VII 2019, Byeongmin Jeong (reared from nymph); 2 ♂ 1 ♀, Island Gureopdo, Gureop-ri, Deokjeok-myeon, Incheon, 28 VI 2023, Jaeil Shim, Wonjun Sung (reared from nymph); CN: 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Coastal Dune, Sindu-ri, Wonbuk-myeon, Taean-gun, 1 IX 2001, Haechul Park, near the grassland; 4 ♂ 6 ♀, Sonhwang-ri, Woongcheon-eup, Boryeong-si, 12 VII 2023, Jaeil Shim, near the grassland (reared from nymph); 2 ♂ 3 ♀, Coastal Dune, Sindu-ri, Wonbuk-myeon, Taean-gun, 12 VIII 2023, Jaeil Shim, near the grassland; GB: 2 ♂, Mt. Angi, Songhyeon-dong, Andong-si, VIII 2022, Jaeil Shim; 3 Nymphs, Gyeongjeong Beach, Gyeongjeong-ri, Chuksan-myeon, Yeongdeok-gun, 20 VII 2023, Jaeil Shim; GN: 2 ♀, Mt. Noja, Dongbu- myeon, Island Geojedo, Geoje-si, 15 IX 2021, Jaeil Shim; JB: 1 ♂, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, VIII 1999, Jeonbuk Nat. Univ; 1 ♂, Mt. Jeoksang, Muju-gun, 8 IX 1999, Taewoo Kim; 1 ♀, Kunsan Nat. Univ., Gunsan-si, 31 VIII 2019, JuHyeong Sohn; 6 ♂ 8 ♀, Is. Yamido, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan-si, 5 VII 2023, Jaeil Shim (reared from nymph); JJ: 3 Nymphs, Gwangchigi Beach, Goseong-ri, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, 16 V 2021, Jaeil Shim; Hungary: Mantis religiosa religiosa, 1 ♂, Mt. Csakyar, Vertes, 23 VIII 2003, J. C. Sohn, Haraszt hegy 250 m.

Redescription.

Measurements (mm) : Total length (vertex to tip of abdomen) ♂ 42.3–55.2, ♀ 50.8–72.4; head width ♂ 5.1–5.4, ♀ 6.2–6.5; head length ♂ 3.8–4.2, ♀ 5.4–5.6; pronotum width ♂ 4.0–4.2, ♀ 5.6–6.0; pronotum length ♂ 13.2–14.0, ♀ 16.6–18.0; forewing (tegmina) length ♂ 38.4–43.2, ♀ 36.1–47.7. Male (Figs 34, 36, 38, 42 – 49) Medium to large sized mantises. Coloration (Figs 34, 35): Body bright green, brown and yellow. Head (Fig. 36): width 1.3 × length. Vertex swollen; with pale transverse magenta line along dorsal apex (in live specimens) (Fig. 38). Compound eye globular, anteriorly protruding; dorsal surface with two transverse stripes (in live specimens). Ocelli large, oval, pale yellow. Antenna filiform; pedicel, scape and initial flagellum pale, remaining flagellum orangish to reddish brown (Figs 34, 36). Antenna length> 2 × as long as pronotum, conspicuously thicker than in female. Lower frons posterior apex weakly protruding; pale transverse line at posterior one-third of lower frons (in live specimens). Epistomal sulcus transverse. Prothorax (Fig. 38): Pronotum flattened dorso-ventrally, its length 3.3 × as long as maximum width. Prozone lateral margin with small denticles. Metazone 3 × as long as prozone; lateral margin smooth. Medial keel protruding. Furcasternite (Fig. 41) posterior area with numerous dark spots. Forelegs (Prothoracic legs) (Figs 42–46): Coxa dorsal margin with 6–11 spines (Fig. 43), small denticles located between its spines. Coxa ventral surface (Figs 42, 43) with large oblong black spot or eye spot in proximal area; remaining surface with 15–24 yellow spots, center of each spot with small seta. Coxal lobes fully divided from each other. Tibial spur groove (Figs 42, 44) with yellow spotted (blotch) pattern. Genicular spurs minute. Ventral surface of tibia (Fig. 44) yellow to orange. Spination formula (Figs 44, 45): Avts = 12–13; Pvts = 7; Avfs = 12–13; Pvfs = 4; Ds = 4. In 13 Avfs (Figs 44, 45): spines 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 13 larger and black, spines with black spot at the base. Tarsus with ventral area brownish. Meso- and metathorax and legs: Metathorax episternum (Fig. 47) with dark triangular spot. Meso- and metathoracic legs long and slender; tarsi 5 - segmented. Wings: Forewing completely surpassing the end of abdomen. Stigma elongate, slightly protruding; color same as forewing venation. Forewing anterior margin brown, discoidal area mostly hyaline. Hindwing transparent but apex brownish. Abdomen: Cerci setose, elongated, and thick, not flattened, brown; 17 segments. Male subgenital plate (coxosternite IX) (Fig. 48) irregularly elliptical in shape, inter-stylar margin notched in V-shape. Styli rather long. Male genitalia (Fig. 49): Right phallomere smooth, forming a C-shaped pva; pia sclerotized and weakly wrinkled; fda triangular. Left phallomere with elongate and curved paa, its distal end sharp and sclerotized, paa anterior margin one-fourth to one-third with one or two short projections; afa strongly sclerotized, rounded, anterior margin obliquely curved dorsally, surface granulated; L 4 B curved spoon-shaped. Ventral phallomere (Fig. 49) nearly rhomboidal; sdpm elongated, blunt finger-like and slightly curved dorsally, distal end and right margin sclerotized and surface with numerous denticulation; sdpl slightly protruding (blunt projection). Female (Figs 35, 37, 39, 40). Similar to male, with following differences. Head (Fig. 37): Vertex convex. Head width 1.1 × as long as length. Antenna as long as pronotum. Prothorax (Figs 39, 40): Pronotum length 2.9–3.0 × as long as maximum width. Metazone 2–3 × as long as prozone. Ootheca (Figs 50, 51). Measurements (mm) : Length 17.2–25.1; maximum width 11.4–14.3; maximum height 9.3–10.5; length of emergence area 17.0–21.6; width of emergence area 3.2–5.3. Identification: Oblong, nearly hemispherical in cross-section. External wall bright brown to brown (Fig. 50). External coating beige on egg chamber surface, pale on emergence area (flap). Exhibiting ~ 20– 30 egg chambers (Fig. 51) clearly delimited by visible slightly curved lips. Distal end of ootheca narrowed into residual process; residual process attached to substrate. Nymph. First instar nymph : Body brown, vertex dorsal apex with pair of dark spots. Mid to last instar nymph: In brown morph, dorsal surface of body with a few stripes.

Biological notes.

Mantis religiosa sinica is sparsely distributed on the Korean Peninsula. This species prefers broad grasslands and bushy areas, comprised of shrubs and grass in sandy fields as its habitat. It exhibits positive phototaxis, meaning it is attracted to light. When threatened, it makes a hissing sound by rubbing its hindwings against the abdomen. The first instar nymphs hatch from the end of May onwards while the adults emerge in August.

Distribution.

China, Japan, South Korea.

Remarks.

Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus) is a widely distributed Paleotropical and Holarctic species (Lia 2007; Patel and Singh 2016; Otte et al. 2024). Bazyluk (1960) and Roy (1968) provided illustrations of the sdpm variations and Schwarz and Roy (2019) presented figures of male genitalia. Additional morphological information was provided by Ehrmann and Borer (2015), Shcherbakov and Anisyutkin (2018), and Shcherbakov and Govorov (2020). Bazyluk (1960) classified this species as the subspecies M. religiosa sinica, which is found in East Asia including Korea. The population on Gureopdo Island exhibits a shorter pronotum, smaller body size, and shorter forewing length compared to inland populations. However, there are minimal genetic differences in the partial COI regions (0 % – 0.2 %). Furthermore, all specimens were supported as a single lineage using COI on both NJ and PA trees (Fig. 138).