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A novel form of wasp mimicry in a new species of praying mantis from the Amazon rainforest, Vespamantoida wherleyi gen. nov. sp. nov. (Mantodea, Mantoididae).

ABSTRACT: A wasp mimicking praying mantis (Mantodea) of the early evolving Mantoididae family was discovered in 2013 at a research station near the Amazon River in Northern Peru. This adult specimen exhibited a striking bright red/orange and black coloration pattern that was undocumented in all known praying mantis species. We tested the status of this new specimen using external morphology, male genital dissections, and geographic distribution. Our findings demonstrate the specimen to represent a new species, Vespamantoida wherleyi gen. nov. sp. nov., that is closely allied with a recently described species, Mantoida toulgoeti Roy, 2010, both of which are included within the newly erected genus. To support our actions, we present high resolution images of museum preserved and living specimens, morphological illustrations, a generic-level distribution map, and recorded video of the behavior of the holotype taken in the field at the time of collection. The bright red/orange coloration contrasted with black markings, the general appearance of a hymenopteran that includes a narrowed wasp waist, and the locomotory patterns and antennal movements mark this newly discovered species as unique among all hymenopteran mimicking Mantoididae as well as all other praying mantises.

SUBMITTER: Svenson GJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6812689 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A novel form of wasp mimicry in a new species of praying mantis from the Amazon rainforest, <i>Vespamantoida wherleyi</i> gen. nov. sp. nov. (Mantodea, Mantoididae).

Svenson Gavin J GJ Rodrigues Henrique M HM

PeerJ 20191017

A wasp mimicking praying mantis (Mantodea) of the early evolving Mantoididae family was discovered in 2013 at a research station near the Amazon River in Northern Peru. This adult specimen exhibited a striking bright red/orange and black coloration pattern that was undocumented in all known praying mantis species. We tested the status of this new specimen using external morphology, male genital dissections, and geographic distribution. Our findings demonstrate the specimen to represent a new spe ...[more]

PMID: 31656699

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Project description:BackgroundBlepharopsis mendica (Fabricius, 1775) is a large mantid species found from the Canary Islands across North Africa, the Middle East, and Pakistan. Research on this species has been limited, especially in Iran, despite the country's potential significance for studying its biology and distribution. Adults of this species are easily recognizable by their marble-white pattern and rhomboidal leaf-like pronotum. They are sit-and-wait predators that inhabit various open environments.MethodsField observations were conducted across various regions of the Egyptian Flower mantis (Blepharopsis mendica) global distribution, with a focus on Morocco, Tunisia, and Iran. Distribution data for B. mendicawere gathered from fieldwork, museum collections, online biodiversity databases, and publications, totaling 593 occurrence points. Ecological niche modeling was performed using environmental data, and various models were evaluated for suitability. Phylogeographic analyses involved DNA sequencing and construction of a haplotype network to examine genetic relationships between populations. Divergence time estimation and biogeographical range expansion models were applied to explore historical distribution shifts of the species across different regions. The study provided comprehensive insights into the biology, distribution, and genetic history of B. mendica.ResultsWe provide information on the life cycle, ootheca, defense behavior, habitat, and biogeography of the Egyptian Flower mantis Blepharopsis mendica. This mantid is an overwintering univoltine species with nymphs emerging in summer and becoming adults in spring. In the wild, females start oviposition in April and can lay their first ootheca within a week after mating. The species is distributed from the Canary Islands to Pakistan in the dry belt. Thus, its distribution is associated with xeric areas or desert and semi-desert habitats. Phylogeographic analyses revealed three major genetic lineages, (i) in the Maghreb, (ii) from Egypt via Arabia to Iran (with internal substructures), and (iii) likely in Pakistan; the estimated onset of differentiation into these lineages is of Pleistocene age. Defense behavior involves flying away or extending wings broadly and lifting forelegs. Performing laboratory breeding, we documented life cycle and color changes from first instar to adulthood. Due to overwintering, the last larval instar needs considerably longer than the others. At 25 °C (±2), average adult life span was 118 days (±6 SD) for females (range: 100-124) and 46 days (±5 SD) for males (range: 39-55), with a significant difference among sexes. On average, oothecae contained 32.3 eggs (±10.1 SD) and the mean incubation period was 36.8 days (±2.9 SD). We did not find evidence of parthenogenesis. In general, the biology of B. mendica shows a variety of adaptations to its often extreme and little predictable type of habitat.

Dataset Information

A novel form of wasp mimicry in a new species of praying mantis from the Amazon rainforest, Vespamantoida wherleyi gen. nov. sp. nov. (Mantodea, Mantoididae).

Publications

A novel form of wasp mimicry in a new species of praying mantis from the Amazon rainforest, <i>Vespamantoida wherleyi</i> gen. nov. sp. nov. (Mantodea, Mantoididae).

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