Corresponding authors: Benjamin Wipfler (
Academic editor: O. Zompro
Two new species and two new genera (
When Mantophasmatodea was described in 2002 (
The terminology for the head and thorax follows
The information for the specimens is given in a standard manner, i.e., locality, geographic coordinates, elevation, date of collection (month indicated in lower case Roman numerals), habitat information, collector, depository, and preparation. Female (♀) and male (♂) symbols indicate the sex.
The following measurements are a selection from the proposed standards of
A pair of each newly described species was dehydrated using increasing steps of ethanol up to 100%, dried at the critical point (Emitech K850 critical point dryer) and subsequently sputter-coated (Emitech K500). Scanning electron microscopy was performed on a Philips XL30 ESEM using a special specimen holder (
Peptide mass fingerprints and sequences were obtained by direct profiling of neuroendocrine tissues from single specimens using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry as described in
The specimens referred below along with the abbreviations used in the text will be deposited in the following collections: NMNW – National Museum of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia; ZFMK – Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany; ZMUB – University of Bergen, Zoological Museum, Bergen, Norway.
The new genus is characterized by a unique sequence of the adipokinetic hormone (pQVNF
None thus far.
The generic group name
Male, NAMIBIA: Naukluft Mountains, northern slope (
Paratypes, NAMIBIA: Naukluft Mountains: three males and four females; same data as holotype, one male and one female in ethanol (NMNW); one male and one female in ethanol (ZMUB); one female in ethanol and one male and one female critical point dried, sputter coated with gold (ZFMK). Nauchas: three males, -23.61, 16.37, 1750 m, 08.iv.2008, R. Predel (collection R. Predel), all in ethanol. Remhoogte: two males and two females, -23.96, 16.30, 1475 m, 08.iv.2008 R. Predel (collection R. Predel), specimen in ethanol.
Measurements (male holotype followed by paratypes according to locality in parentheses, critical point dried specimen nor measured, in mm): total length (a): 27.1 (Naukluft mountains: 23.1, 27.3) (Nauchas: 23.6, 23.0, 22.3) Remhoogte (28.3, 25.6); length of pronotum (b): 4.0 (Naukluft: 4.1, 3.9) (Nauchas: 2.6, 2.9, 3.1) (Remhoogte: 3.6, 4.0); width of pronotum (c): 3.7 (Naukluft: 3.6, 3.0) (Nauchas: 3.3, 3.3, 3.4) (Remhoogte: 3.4, 3.7); length of mesonotum (b): 3.7 (Naukluft: 3.6, 3.7) (Nauchas: 3.4, 3.7, 3.7) (Remhoogte: 4.0, 4.1); width of mesonotum (c): 3.1 (Naukluft: 3.1, 3.0) (Nauchas: 2.9, 2.9, 3.0) (Remhoogte: 3.1, 3.3) ; length of metanotum (b): 3.2 (Naukluft: 2.4, 2.8) (Nauchas: 2.9, 2.9, 2.9) (Remhoogte: 3.1, 3.1); width of metanotum (c): 2.9 (Naukluft: 2.9, 2.9) (Nauchas: 2.7, 2.7, 2.9) (Remhoogte: 3.0, 3.1); length of the head (d): 3.9 (Naukluft: 3.3, 3.1) (Nauchas: 3.1, 3.3, 3.4) (Remhoogte: 3.9, 4.6); width of the head (f): 4.3 (Naukluft: 4.0, 3.9) (Nauchas: 3.7, 3.9, 4.0) (Remhoogte: 3.6, 3.7); head width over eyes (g): 4.6 (Naukluft: 4.4, 4.1) (Nauchas: 4.1, 4.1, 4.3) (Remhoogte: 4.0, 4.4); width between eyes (h): 2.7 (Naukluft: 2.6, 2.4) (Nauchas: 2.4, 2.6. 2.6) (Remhoogte: 2.9, 2.9); length of eye (i): 1.7 (Naukluft: 1.7, 1.7) (Nauchas: 1.7, 1.9, 1.9) (Remhoogte: 2.0, 2.1); width of eye (j): 1.0 (Naukluft: 0.9, 1.0) (Nauchas: 1.0, 1.0, 1.1) (Remhoogte: 1.1, 1.1).
Head (
Thorax (
Legs: bright green, spikes in the tibial region black; covered with setae. Prothoracic leg more massive than meso- and metathoracic ones; femur three times as long as wide, with two ventro-median rows of green spikes. Tibia green, mesally whitish, ca. 6 times as long as wide, with two ventro-median rows of black spikes. Tarsus with five tarsomeres, first three green, fourth and fifth yellow, proximal four tarsomeres with euplantulae; arolium very large, yellow with black margin.
Wings: completely absent.
Abdomen: longer than thorax and head combined; bright green, meso-dorsal brown longitudinal stripe, enlarging posteriorly; populations of Naukluft mountains, Nauchas and Remhoogte differ in the shape of the stripe (
Male terminalia (
Measurements (critical point dried specimen not measured, in mm): total length (a): (Naukluft: 23.6, 29.0, 31.9) (Remhoogte: 32.0, 35.4); length of pronotum (b): (Naukluft: 4.0, 3.9, 4.3) (Remhoogte: 4.3, 4.4); width of pronotum (c): (Naukluft: 3.7, 3.7, 3.7) (Remhoogte: 4.1, 4.3); length of mesonotum (b): (Naukluft: 3.9, 3.4, 3.0) (Remhoogte: 4.6, 4.6); width of mesonotum (c): (Naukluft: 3.3, 3.3, 3.3) (Remhoogte: 3.9, 3.9); length of metanotum (b): (Naukluft: 3.1, 2.9, 3.3) (Remhoogte: 3.1, 3.7); width of metanotum (c): (Naukluft: 3.1, 3.1, 3.1) (Remhoogte: 3.7, 3.7); length of the head (d): (Naukluft: 4.4, 3.7, 3.7) (Remhoogte: 4.9, 5.7); width of the head (f): (Naukluft: 4.7, 4.4, 4.5) (Remhoogte: 4.6, 4.7); head width over eyes (g): (Naukluft: 4.9, 4.6, 4.7) (Remhoogte: 4.7, 5.3); width between eyes (h): (Naukluft: 3.1, 2.7, 3.0) (Remhoogte: 3.4, 3.7); length of eye (i): (Naukluft: 1.2, 1.1, 1.1) (Remhoogte: 1.3, 1.3); width of eye (j): (Naukluft: 2.1, 1.9, 2.0) (Remhoogte: 2.4, 2.7).
Head (
Thorax (
Legs: reddish-green, with brown dots where setae emerge; covered with setae; two ventro-median rows of spikes present on tibia and femur; spikes on tibia black.
Abdomen: moss green, dark green meso-dorsal stripe representing dorsal vessel, lateral margins of terga whitish. Tergum I as broad as metanotum. Pleura and sternites moss green.
Female terminalia (
The species is named after the type locality, the Naukluft Mountains.
Specimens were mainly found in dwarf shrubs. Adult specimens are obviously not associated with grass tussocks.
Based on peptide hormone sequences,
The new genus is characterized by several distinct neuropeptide sequences, e.g. periviscerokinin-1 (EAAGLIAFPRTamide) (
None thus far.
the generic group name
Simplified tree (midpoint-rooted) from a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of peptide hormone sequences from southern African Mantophasmatodea (adapted from
Habitus photography of
Type locality of
Head of ♂
Prothorax of ♂
Variations of brown longitudinal stripe in
Terminalia of ♂
Head of ♀
Prothorax of ♀
Terminalia of ♀
NAMIBIA: Brandberg Plateau, south of Königstein, with sclerophyllous vegetation (
Paratypes NAMIBIA: Brandberg Plateau, south of Königstein: four males and eight females; same data as holotype; one male and two females in ethanol, one pair in copula in ethanol (NMNW); one male and two females in ethanol (ZMUB); two females in ethanol and one male and one female critical point dried, sputter coated with gold (ZFMK). Two juveniles and six heavily damaged specimens (1 juvenil, 2♀, 3♂) were excluded from the type-series (collection R. Predel).
Measurements (male holotype followed by paratypes in parentheses, critical point dried male and male in copula not measured, in mm): total length (a): 23.0 (18.1, 17.9); length of pronotum (b): 3.9 (2.9, 3.1); width of pronotum (c): 3.0 (3.0, 3.4); length of mesonotum (b): 3.6 (2.7, 2.9); width of mesonotum (c): 2.9 (2.7, 3.4); length of metanotum (b): 3.0 (2.7, 2.3); width of metanotum (c): 2.7 (2.4, 2.6); length of the head (d): 4.4 (4.0, 3.9); width of the head (f): 4.0 (3.7, 3.9); head width over eyes (g): 4.4 (4.3, 4.3); width between eyes (h): 3.0 (2.7, 2.6); length of eye (i): 2.0 (2.0, 2.1); width of eye (j): 1.0 (1.0, 1.0).
Head (
Thorax (
Legs: bright green. Completely covered with setae; brown spots where setae emerge. Prothoracic leg more massive than meso- and metathoracic leg. Tarsus with 5 brownish tarsomeres; proximal four with euplantulae; large arolium present.
Wings: completely absent.
Abdomen: shorter than thorax: enlarging posteriorly; completely covered with setae. Bright green; lateral brown longitudinal stripes on tergites. Abdominal tergum I narrower than metanotum; terga slightly broadening towards tergum VIII; terga IX and X narrowing again. Pleura bright green with yellowish stripe. Sterna bright green.
Male terminalia (
Measurements (critical point dried female and female in copula not measured, in mm):
Total length (a): 20.1, 17.4, 28.3, 27.8, 15.9, 20.3; length of pronotum (b): 4.0, 4.1, 4.0, 3.9, 3.6, 3.7; width of pronotum (c): 4.3, 4.3, 3.8, 3.9, 4.1, 3.7; length of mesonotum (b): 3.1, 2.9, 3.6, 3.7, 2.9, 2.9; width of mesonotum (c): 3.7, 3.7, 3.4, 3.3, 3.7, 3.1; length of metanotum (b): 2.9, 2.2, 2.3, 2.3, 2.6, 2.4; width of metanotum (c): 3.6, 3.4, 3.7, 3.4, 3.6, 3.1; length of the head (d): 1.1, 1.2, 1.2, 1.1, 1.0, 1.1; width of the head (f): 5.2, 4.4, 4.4, 4.5, 4.4, 4.2; head width over eyes (g): 5.4, 5.1, 5.0, 4.9, 4.7, 4.6; width between eyes (h): 3.4, 2.9, 2.9, 3.0, 2.9, 2.9; length of eye (i): 2.5, 2.3, 2.3, 2.1, 2.3, 2.3; width of eye (j): 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.1, 1.1, 1.1.
Head: (
Thorax (
Abdomen: bright green, dark green meso-dorsal longitudinal stripe; pleura bright green with yellowish longitudinal stripe; sternites bright green.
Female terminalia (
The species is named after the type locality, the Brandberg massif.
Habitus photography of ♀
Type locality of
Head of ♂
Prothorax of ♂
Terminalia of ♂
Head of ♀
Thorax of ♀
Terminalia of ♀
The discovery of the two new genera of Mantophasmatodea results from extensive collecting activities during the last years (
In contrast to
Thus far, the monophyly of
Collection localities of Mantophasmatodea from Namibia. Red,
1 | RC (952.4 + 1350.6) | |
– | RC without (952.4 and 1350.6) | 2 (remaining Mantophasmatodea) |
2 | RC (982.4 + 1369.6) |
|
– | RC (938.4 + 1369.6) | 3 |
3 | aPSO (1144.7), tPSO (1066.5) |
|
– | aPSO without (1144.7), tPSO without (1066.5) | 4 |
4 | aPSO (1735.8), tPSO (1174.6) |
|
– | aPSO without (1735.8), tPSO without (1174.6) | 5 |
5 | aPSO (1772.8), tPSO (819.5) |
|
– | aPSO without (1742.8) tPSO without (819.5) |
The authors would like to thank Dr. Susanne Neupert (Cologne, Germany) and Dr. Wolf Huetteroth (Oxford, GB) for enthusiastic support when collecting different populations of the novel genera, and Wolf Huetteroth and Jonas Vogel for help with the Generic Mapping Tool. We also appreciate helpful comments of Dr. Torsten Dikow (Chicago, USA). The insects were captured and exported with the permission of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia (research/collecting permits 891/2005, 1041/2006).