Summary: A comprehensive taxonomic sampling of Mantodea, covering all higher-level groups, is being assembled to reconstruct the phylogeny of the order. Mapping biogeographic regions on the phylogeny demonstrated that our results adhere closer to geographic distributions than to classification. Specific patterns in distribution suggest that major morphological convergences have confounded taxonomists ability to reconstruct natural groups. We found that major mantis lineages diverged prior to and during the isolation of geographic regions and subsequent ecomorphic specializations within these regions may have led to convergences in morphology.

Summary: This study explores the evolutionary history of the mantis auditory system by integrating large anatomical, neurophysiological, behavioral, and molecular databases. Using an auditory phylogeny based on 13 morphological characters, we identified a primitively earless form of metathoracic anatomy in several extant taxa. In addition, there are five distinct mantis auditory systems. Three of these can be identified anatomically, and the other two can only be detected neurophysiologically. Superimposing these results onto a phylogenetic tree derived from molecular data from seven genes shows that the cyclopean mantis ear evolved once approximately 120 Mya. All the other auditory system types are either varying degrees of secondary loss, or are recent innovations that each occurred independently multiple times. The neurophysiological response to ultrasound is remarkably consistent across all taxa tested, as is the multicomponent, in-flight behavior triggered by ultrasound. Thus, mantids have an ancient, highly conserved auditory neural-behavioral system. Although ultrasonic hearing in several insect groups evolved in response to bat predation, mantis hearing predates the appearance of bats (approximately 63 Mya) and must originally have functioned in communication, prey detection, or avoidance of nonbat predators.

Summary: The mantis genus Tenodera is composed of several species distributed across Africa, Asia and Australasia, along with recent human introductions to North America. Species of the genus a morphologically similar and utilize equivalent habitats across their distribution. Relationships among these species and the morphological characters used to diagnose them have never been formally tested, leaving authors to disagree as to the species composition of Tenodera. With DNA sequence data from five molecular loci and morphological character from male genitalia, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Tenodera using multiple optimality criteria. All included species were found to be monophyletic in analyses of the combined data. Tenodera sinensis and T. bokiana were both supported as distinct species recovered in separate clades, resolving confusion as to their placement and classification. Our analysis identified a previously undescribed species of Tenodera collected in India, recovered as sister to T. aridifolia and T. sinensis, and exhibiting distinct male genital morphology. In light of phylogeny, we characterise for the first time, and investigate the evolution of, the male genitalia, which allowed us to discover several transitions in structural forms. We also consider the connection of these transitions to sexual cannibalism and how this behaviour may have led to rapid evolution of the male genitalia.

Summary: The Oriental genus Ceratomantis Wood-Mason, 1876, considered as monospecific until 1986, presently includes five species, three of which we have characterized using male genitalia. The range of the genus extends from India to Borneo, a much greater distribution than previously known. In addition, the confusion that has existed among specimens from Borneo and the rest of Southeast Asia is resolved. The collection and examination of just a few additional specimens alleviated much of the uncertainty within the genus and indicates that further fieldwork may reveal more species.

Species of Ceratomantis:

• saussurii Wood-Mason, 1876
• yunnanensis Zhang, 1986
• kimberlae Svenson, 2007
• ghatei Roy & Svenson, 2007
• gigliotosi Roy, 2007

Summary: The genus Platycalymma was created by John Obadiah Westwood (1889) based on a female specimen collected in Madagascar he named P. latipennis. After the examination of more than 35 specimens, we consider now that Platycalymma contains six species, all endemic to Madagascar, with three new, here described. In addition, we describe for the first time males of P. latipennis and females for both P. dichroica and P. befasica.

Species of Platycalymma: (Download KML file for species distributions using Google Earth)

• latipennis Westwood, 1889
• befasica (Paulian, 1957)
• dichroica (Paulian, 1957)
• annulicornis Roy & Svenson, unpublished
• mahafalica Roy & Svenson, unpublished
• viettei Roy & Svenson, unpublished

Summary: Hyalomantis was first created by Ermanno Giglio-Tos in 1915 to include as its type species Miopteryx madagascariensis Saussure, 1870 and his newly described species Hyalomantis punctata Giglio-Tos, 1915. The genus Hyalomantis Giglio-Tos, 1915 now includes four species with a new synonymy of Miopteryx madagascariensis Saussure, 1870 = Hyalomantis punctata Giglio-Tos, 1915, and the description herein of three new species. All species of the genus are endemic to Madagascar.

Species of Hyalomantis: (Download KML file for species distributions using Google Earth)

• madagascariensis Saussure, 1870
• antsingica Svenson & Roy, unpublished
• whitingi Svenson & Roy, unpublished
• murzini Svenson & Roy, unpublished

Now in Progress: The revision of the genus Liturgousa (incorrectly spelled Liturgusa) Saussure, 1869 includes treatment of the 14 described species as well as the addition of new species.

Now in Progress:.

Summary: The purpose of this application is to remove the homonymy between the beetle family-group name PHOTININI LeConte, 1881 and the mantis family-group name PHOTININAE Giglio-Tos, 1915. It is proposed that the stem of Photina Burmeister, 1838 be changed from PHOTIN- to PHOTINA- so that the subfamily name will be emended to PHOTINAINI Giglio-Tos, 1915. PHOTININI and PHOTININAE have a complex nomenclatural history due to a misspelled name of the type species, overlooked type species designation, homonymy and synonymy. The name Lampyris pallens Fabricius, 1798, has been used for the type species of the genus Photinus Laporte, 1833 in most modern taxonomic treatments of LAMPYRIDAE. However this is an incorrect subsequent spelling of Lampyris pullens Fabricius, 1798. There was an earlier and overlooked designation of Lampyris diaphana Germar, 1824 as the type species of Photinus, which renders Cratomorphus a subjective junior synonym of Photinus. It is proposed that the spelling Lampyris pallens be deemed correct and all previous type fixations for Photinus be set aside. Mantis vitrea Burmeister, 1838 has been designated as the type species of the genus Photina Burmeister, 1838. However it is a junior primary homonym of Mantis vitrea Stoll, 1813 (a junior subjective synonym of Hierodula venosa Olivier, 1792).

Summary: Coming Soon.

Summary: Coming Soon.

Summary: Coming Soon.

Coming Soon.