Stagmatoptera precaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

Male—Figures 32B, 34B, 36B, 38B, 40B, 42C–48C, 52A. Female—Figures 33B, 35B, 37B, 39B, 41B, 49B–52B,.

Gryllus (Mantis) precarius Linnaeus, 1758, p.426 (descr.); Linnaeus, 1764, p.426 (redesc.);; Gmelin-Linné, 1790, p.2050 (redesc.).

Mantis precaria, Linnaeus, 1767, p.691 (redesc.); Fabricius, 1775, p.277 (redesc.); Goeze, 1778, p.25 (redesc.); Fabricius, 1781, p.349 (redesc.); Fabricius, 1787, p.228 (redesc.); Olivier, 1792, p.628 (redesc.); Fabricius, 1793, p.20 (redesc.); Lichtenstein, 1802, p.26 (redesc.); Palisot de Beauvois, 1805, p.61, t.12, f.1 (redesc.); Thunberg, 1815, p.290 (redesc.); Audinet Serville, 1831, p.53 (cit.); Audinet Serville, 1839, p.181 (redesc.); Charpentier, 1841, p.292 (redesc.); Charpentier, 1844, p.302 (cit.).

= Mantis cubitata Goeze, 1778, p.34 (descr.); Kirby, 1904, p.300 (syn.).

= Mantis octosetosa Goeze, 1778, p.35 (descr.); Kirby, 1904, p.300 (syn.).

= Mantis ocellata Olivier, 1792, p.639 (descr.); Kirby, 1904, p.300 (syn.).

= Mantis obsecraria Lichtenstein, 1802, p.28 (descr.).

= Mantis annulata Stoll, 1813, p.55, t.18, f.66 (descr.);

= Mantis (Stagmatoptera) praecaria, Burmeister, 1838, p.539 (redesc.).

= Mantis praecaria, Burmeister, 1864, p.236 (redesc.); Werner, 1925a, p.167 (redesc.).

Stagmatoptera precaria, Saussure, 1869, p.67 (cit.); Saussure, 1870, p.232 (cit.); Kirby, 1904, p.300 (cit.); Brunner, 1906, p.144 (cit.); Rehn, 1911, p.13 (cit.); Giglio-Tos, 1914, p.32 (redesc.); Giglio-Tos, 1927, p.598 (redesc.); Terra, 1995, p.65 (cit.); Ehrmann, 2002, p.329 (cit.); Agudelo et al., 2007, p.125 (cit.); Ehrmann & Koçak, 2009, p.12 (cit.).

= Stagmatoptera obsecraria, Saussure, 1869, p.67 (cit.); Saussure, 1870, p.232 (cit.); Kirby, 1904, p.300 (syn.).

= Stagmatoptera annulata Saussure, 1871b, p.91, t.1, f.9 (redesc.); Saussure, 1872, p.256 (cit.); Stål, 1877, p.72 (cit.); Borre, 1883, p.66 (cit.); Westwood, 1889, p.15 (cit.); Saussure & Zehntner, 1894, p.187 (redesc.); Kirby, 1904, p.300 (syn.).

= Stagmomantis precaria, Brunner, 1897, p.3, t.2, f.22; Giglio-Tos, 1927, p.598 (cit.).

Type: Unknown.

Type locality. Unknown.

Diagnosis. Spot on the stigma circular and small, without a spot on the middle of the anterior surface of the foretibia.

Redescription. Male —Prothorax slender, lateral margins slightly crenulated on the prozona, smooth on the metazona. Metazona with a weakly marked central keel (Fig. 34 B). Forecoxae with 6–11 large spines, which alternate with 0–7 smaller spines (Fig. 36 B). Forefemora elongated and broad, the first three discoidal spines black on their anterior surface; 14–17 anteroventral spines, usually 15, the first spine and all the big spines black on their anterior surface, the 8th, 10th and 12th spines may present a small spot of the same coloration on their insertion.

Anterior femoral spot extending from the femoral groove to the 6th anteroventral spine, rectangular, an effaced black color or starting dark on the femoral sulcus and fading towards the apex of the femora (Fig. 38 B). Foretibiae with 10–13 posteroventral spines, usually 11, and 14–16 anteroventral spines, usually 15; tibial spur dark on its anterior surface, the last spine before it may be dark on the anterior surface (Fig. 40 B). Foretarsi with apical black spots on the anterior surface of the tarsomeres I to IV. Discoidal area of the forewings with an opaque-green stripe anteriorly, gradually or suddenly becoming hyaline. Spot on the stigma circular, small sized, with an anterior white spot and a posterior brown spot. Discoidal and anal areas of the hindwings completely hyaline or hyaline with yellow stripes on the crossveins of their anterior halves (Fig. 52 A).

Genitalia. Left phallomere longer than wide; sclerite L4B as long as wide; paa elongated, slightly dilated on the left side of its base, angled approximately 45° from the body axis, apex simple, directed ventrally (Fig. 42 C); pda short, narrow, flattened, sharply bent 90° to the right, apex strongly sclerotized and tapered (Fig. 45 C); afa elongated, parallel to the body axis (Fig. 43 C), right margin smooth and sinuous (Fig. 44 C), posterior apex tumid, with a projection on the right margin, rugged and strongly sclerotized, anterior apex straight, margins very sclerotized and tumid, forming a groove (Fig. 43 C); loa short, bent to the right (Fig. 42 C); membrane adjacent to afa glabrous (Fig. 43 C). Right phallomere with the posterior apex rounded; bm short, with a narrow and high expansion on the middle (Fig. 46 C); pia elongated, sclerotized (Fig. 47 C–48C); pva short, strongly sclerotized, rectangular apex (Fig. 48 C); an elongated, apex smoothly rounded (Fig. 47 C).

Measuremens. Body length 64–81.9; head width: 7.2–8.1; prozona length: 4.3–5.3; metazona length: 17.6–22.5; prothorax width: 4.5–5.3; forecoxae length: 12.5–14.6; forefemora length: 14.8–17.6; forefemora width: 2.6–3.3; foretibiae length: 7.2–8.6.

Ratios. Head/prothoracic-width: 1.44–1.67; metazona/prozona: 3.74–4.77; metazona length/prothoracic width: 3.59–4.67; metazona/forecoxae: 1.38–1.66; forefemora length/width: 4.88–6.27.

Female —Prothorax slender, lateral margins slightly crenulated. Metazona with a weakly marked central keel (Fig. 35 B). Forecoxae with 7–13 large spines, which alternate with 3–11 smaller spines (Fig. 37 B). Forefemora elongated and broad, the first three discoidal spines black on their anterior surface; 14–20 anteroventral spines, usually 15, the first spine and all the big spines black on their anterior surface, the 8th, 10th and 12th spines may present a small spot of the same coloration on their insertion. Anterior femoral spot extending from the femoral groove to the 6th anteroventral spine, rectangular, an effaced black color or starting dark on the claw sulcus and fading towards the apex of the femora (Fig. 39 B). Foretibiae with 10–13 posteroventral spines, usually 11, and 14–17 anteroventral spines, usually 15; tibial spur dark on its anterior surface, the last spine before it may be dark on the anterior surface (Fig. 41 B). Foretarsi with apical black spots on the anterior surface of the tarsomeres I to IV. Spot on the stigma circular, small sized, with an anterior white spot and a posterior brown spot. Costal area of the hindwings hyaline, discoidal and anal areas hyaline with yellow stripes on the crossveins (Fig. 52 B).

Genitalia. Base of the gonapophysis VIII projecting inwards (Fig. 49 B); bv roughly triangular, apex tumid (Fig. 49 B), the inner surface sculpted (Fig. 50 B); ib sclerotized and sculpted (Fig. 50 B); pe short, sclerotized, with smooth margins (Fig. 50 B); gs sclerotized, smooth (Fig. 51 B); ls roughly rectangular, posterior process elongated, conical (Fig. 51 B).

Measurements. Body length: 68.9–91.3; head width: 8.6–10.8; prozona length: 5.7–7.5; metazona length: 23.3–32.3; prothorax width: 6.3–8.5; forecoxae length: 16.3–20.9; forefemora length: 19.2–25.1; forefemora width: 3.9–5.2; foretibiae length: 9.4–11.8.

Ratios. Head/prothoracic-width: 1.18–1.37; metazona/prozona: 3.55–4.36; metazona length/prothoracic width: 3.13–3.92; metazona/forecoxae: 1.31–1.55; forefemora length/width: 4.31–5.23.

Remarks. After Linnaeus (1758) described Stagmatoptera precaria it remained as the only known species of the genus for a long time. Due to this fact, we believe that several early researchers misidentified other species of Stagmatoptera as S. precaria. This resulted in erroneous geographical records outside the natural distribution of S. precaria. In their catalogue of the Neotropical Mantodea, Agudelo et al. (2007) summarized the data available in the literature and indicated the following distribution for S. precaria: Argentina, Brazil (Amazonas, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Pará, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo), Colombia, French Guiana, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. However, after our own examination of S. precaria specimens available in collections, we confirmed that its actual distribution is in Southern and Southeastern Brazil; only one specimen had locality in “Rio Tapajós” (Brazilian Amazon), but we consider this label data doubtful. We concluded that the assumed widespread distribution of this species reported in Agudelo et al. (2007) most likely resulted from multiple misidentifications in the historical literature.

Distribution. Brazil (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo).

Examined material. BRAZIL: Yersin, 1♀ (MHNG). 1903, Mme. Cerqueira, 1♂ (MNHN). v.1969, R. Pujol, 2♂ (MNHN). Minas, Abbé David Dedit, 1♀ (MNHN). Rio Tapajós, 1883, Parton, 1♀ (MNHN); Espírito Santo—Coll. R. Ebner, 1♂ (NHMW). Linhares, 01.vii.1991, J.S. Santos, 1♀, 2037 (MCTP). Santa Teresa, iv.1964, C.T. Elias, 1♂ (MZSP); Rio de Janeiro—Rivet rec., 1♀ (MNHN). Rivet rec., 1♂, (MNHN). Areal, iv.1986, M.V. Ferraz, 1♂, (MZSP). Montagne des Orgues, environs de la Tijuca, 500–1000m, 1902, E.R. Wagner, 1♀ (MNHN). Montagne des Orgues, environs de la Tijuca, 500–1000m, 1902, E.R. Wagner, 1♂ (MNHN). Sepitiba, 27- 30.iv.1957, M.A. D’Andretta, 1♂ (MZSP); Rio Grande do Sul—Imbé, ii.1986, L. Balinski, 1♀, 1223 (MCTP). Osório, 1969, L. Famer leg., 1♂, 0 522 (MCTP). Porto Alegre, 27.iii.1967, M. Drummond, 1♂, 0 0 60 (MCTP). Porto Alegre, 02.x.1975, Silvana Luciano, 1♀, 0 389 (MCTP). Porto Alegre, 15.ix.1989, R.A. Ramos, 1♀, 1438 (MCTP). Sta. C. do Sul, 17.ix.1980, L. Jantsch leg., 1♂, 0 470 (MCTP). São Leopoldo, 10.iii.1965, Celio Valle col., 1♂ (MZSP). Taquara, 22.iii.1983, R.T. Lupetti leg., 1♀, 0 363 (MCTP). Viamão, 07.viii.1973, Y.L.B. de Oliveira leg., 1♀, 0 391 (MCTP); Santa Catarina—H. Schulz., 2♀ (ZSM). H. Schulz., 1♂ (ZSM). Col. Hansa [Corupá], 1901, Ehrhardt leg., 1♂ (MZSP). Nova Teutônia, 27.iii.1967, leg. F. Plaumann, 1♀ (MHNG). Nova Teutônia, 01.iv.1967, leg. F. Plaumann, 1♂ (MHNG). Nova Teutônia, 13.iv.1967, leg. F. Plaumann, 1♂ (MHNG). Rio Vermelho, xi.1950, Dirings col., 1♀ (MZSP). [Colônia] Teresópolis, [Águas Mornas], Coll. Br. v. W., 1♂ (NHMW); São Paulo—Ibiúna, 3.v.1977, M.J. Coelho leg. 1♀ (MZSP). Ilhabela, 03-06.v.1962, Vanzolini col., 1♂ (MZSP). Piedade, 27.iii.2011, Rodrigues col., 1♀ (MZSP). Salesópolis, 850m, 13.iv.1966, Rabello col., 1♂ (MZSP). Bairro do Paúba, São Sebastião, 19.iv.1984, Brandão col., 1♂ (MZSP). WITHOUT LOCALITY; América do Sul, 2♀ (ZMB). 1♀ (MHNG). 1♀ (NHMW). 1♀ (ZSM). Yersin, 1♀ (MHNG).