Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5380 No. 3: 30 Nov. 2023
Type: Article
Published: 2023-11-30
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5380.3.1
Page range: 201-226
Abstract views: 2242
PDF downloaded: 45

A revision of the genus Ima Tindale (Mantodea: Nanomantidae: Fulciniinae) with the description of a new genus

College of Science and Engineering; James Cook University; PO Box 6811; Cairns; QLD; 4870; Australia
College of Science and Engineering; James Cook University; PO Box 6811; Cairns; QLD; 4870; Australia
College of Science and Engineering; James Cook University; PO Box 6811; Cairns; QLD; 4870; Australia
Adjunct Professor; College of Science and Engineering; James Cook University; PO Box 6811; Cairns; QLD; 4870; Australia
Mantodea mantis paperbark mantis Inimia Australia Queensland citizen science host plant specificity taxonomy

Abstract

Ima fusca is one of a number of unusual and infrequently collected Australian mantises about which relatively little is known. Long considered a single species, morphological studies instead revealed the presence of a second cryptic species. We here describe this species as Ima corymbia sp. nov. and redescribe both Ima and Ima fusca in detail. Additionally, we describe a unique, robust species allied to Ima that was discovered with the aid of citizen science, Inimia nat gen. et sp. nov. In light of this discovery, we provide keys to both the Australian Fulciniini genera and to the species of Ima. Finally, we provide detailed behavioural and ecological records for all three species, including the peculiar host plant specificity of Ima spp. We document and discuss this specificity in depth and suggest several possible reasons for its occurrence.

 

References

  1. Adobe Inc. (2023) Adobe Photoshop 24.7. Computer software. Available from: https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html (accessed 16 October 2023)
  2. Alhmedi, A., Haubruge, E. & Francis, F. (2008) Role of prey-host plant associations on Harmonia axyridis and Episyrphus balteatus reproduction and predatory efficiency. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 128 (1), 49–56. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1570-7458.2008.00740.x
  3. Andersen, A.N. (2016) Ant megadiversity and its origins in arid Australia. Austral Entomology, 55 (2), 132–137. https://doi.org/10.1111/aen.12203
  4. Baker, M.R., Kitching, R.L., Reid, C.A.M. & Sheldon, F. (2012) Coleoptera (Chrysomelidae, Coccinellidae, Curculionoidea) in sclerophyll woodland: variation in assemblages among host plants, and host specificity of phytophagous and predatory beetles. Australian Journal of Entomology, 51 (3), 145–153. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-6055.2011.00851.x
  5. Barve, V.V., Brenskelle, L., Li, D., Stucky, B.J., Barve, N.V., Hantak, M.M., McLean, B.S., Paluh, D.J., Oswald, J.A., Belitz, M.W., Folk, R.A. & Guralnick, R.P. (2020) Methods for broad-scale plant phenology assessments using citizen scientists’ photographs. Applications in Plant Sciences, 8 (1), e11315. https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.11315
  6. Beard, J.J. & Walter, G.H. (2001) Host plant specificity in several species of generalist mite predators. Ecological Entomology, 26 (6), 562–570. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2311.2001.00367.x
  7. Beier, M. (1935) Mantodea: Fam. Mantidæ: Subfam. Mantinæ. Genera Insectorum, 203, 1–146.
  8. Beier, M. (1965) Über einige Mantiden von der Insel Prince of Wales. Pacific Insects, 7, 449–452.
  9. Brannoch, S.K. (2019) Innovation and loss of a novel sensory organ during evolutionary transitions among ecological niches in a praying mantis lineage. Doctoral Thesis, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, 100 pp.
  10. Collins, N. & Velazco-Macias, C.G. (2021) Neoxabea mexicana sp. nov. (Gryllidae: Oecanthinae): A new species from Mexico and a key for Neoxabea in North and Central America. Journal of Orthoptera Research, 30 (2), 99–106. https://doi.org/10.3897/jor.30.62000
  11. Connors, M.G. (2022) Studies in Australian Mantodea: New synonyms, notes on distributions, and an updated checklist. Zootaxa, 5239 (4), 477–499. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5239.4.2
  12. Connors, M.G., Yeeles, P., Lach, L. & Rentz, D.C.F. (2023) Revision of the genus Calofulcinia Giglio-Tos (Mantodea: Nanomantidae: Fulciniinae) in Australia. Zootaxa, 5296 (3), 336–361. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5296.3.2
  13. Franklin, D.C. (2022) A Field Study of the Eucalypts of North-east Queensland. Independently published, Herberton, 333 pp. Available from: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3109610877 (accessed October 2022)
  14. Geitzenauer, H.L. & Bernays, E.A. (1996) Plant effects on prey choice by a vespid wasp, Polistes arizonensis. Ecological Entomology, 21 (3), 227–234. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2311.1996.t01-1-00006.x
  15. Giglio-Tos, E. (1913) Orthoptera: Fam. Mantidæ: Subfam. Perlamantinæ. Genera Insectorum, 144, 1–13.
  16. Giglio-Tos, E. (1915) Mantidi Esotici: Generi e Specie Nuove. Bollettino della Società Entomologica Italiana, 46, 31–108.
  17. Hill, P.J.B., Holwell, G.I., Göth, A. & Herberstein, M.E. (2004) Preference for habitats with low structural complexity in the praying mantid Ciulfina sp. (Mantidae). Acta Oecologica, 26 (1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2004.02.002
  18. Holwell, G.I. (2014) Four new species of Ciulfina Giglio-Tos, 1915 (Mantodea: Liturgusidae, Liturgusinae) from the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa, 3797 (1), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3797.1.6
  19. Holwell, G.I., Ginn, S.G. & Herberstein, M.E. (2007) Three new species of Ciulfina Giglio-Tos (Mantodea: Liturgusidae) from north-eastern Australia. Zootaxa, 1583 (1), 23–35. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1583.1.3
  20. La Greca, M. (1966) Su due specie di Mantodei dell’Australia. Annuario dell’Istituto e Museo di Zoologia della Università di Napoli, 17, 1–8.
  21. Larson, E.R., Graham, B.M., Achury, R., Coon, J.J., Daniels, M.K., Gambrell, D.K., Jonasen, K.L., King, G.D., LaRacuente, N., Perrin-Stowe, T.I., Reed, E.M., Rice, C.J., Ruzi, S.A., Thairu, M.W., Wilson, J.C. & Suarez, A.V. (2020) From eDNA to citizen science: emerging tools for the early detection of invasive species. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 18 (4), 194–202. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2162
  22. Marshall, A.J. & Beehler, B.M. (2012) Ecology of Indonesian Papua Part Two. Tuttle Publishing, Clarendon, 989 pp.
  23. Mesaglio, T. & Callaghan, C.T. (2021) An overview of the history, current contributions and future outlook of iNaturalist in Australia. Wildlife Research, 48 (4), 289–303. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR20154
  24. Milledge, G.A. (1990) Revision of the genus Nesoxypilus Beier (Mantodea: Amorphoscelidae: Paraoxypilinae). Memoirs of Museum Victoria, 50 (2), 347–355. https://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.1990.50.09
  25. Naskrecki, P. & Rentz, D.C.F. (2010) Studies in the orthopteran fauna of Melanesia: New katydids of the tribe Agraeciini from Papua New Guinea (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae). Zootaxa, 2664 (1), 1–35. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2664.1.1
  26. Patel, S., Singh, G. & Singh, R. (2016) Global Distribution of Empusidae, Eremiaphilidae, Galinthiadidae and Iridopterygidae (Mantodea : Dictyoptera : Insecta) : A Checklist. International Journal of Zoological Investigations, 2 (2), 219–236.
  27. Rana, J.S., Dixon, A.F.G. & Jarošík, V. (2002) Costs and benefits of prey specialization in a generalist insect predator. Journal of Animal Ecology, 71 (1), 15–22. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.0021-8790.2001.00574.x
  28. Schwarz, C.J. & Roy, R. (2019) The systematics of Mantodea revisited: an updated classification incorporating multiple data sources (Insecta: Dictyoptera). Annales de la Société entomologique de France, New Series, 55 (2), 101–196. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2018.1556567
  29. Silvertown, J. (2009) A new dawn for citizen science. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 24 (9), 467–471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2009.03.017
  30. Sjöstedt, Y. (1918) Results of Dr. E. Mjöberg’s Swedish Scientific Expeditions to Australia 1910–1913. 17. Mantidæ und Phasmidæ. Arkiv för Zoologi, 11, 1–61. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.793
  31. Skejo, J., Connors, M., Hendriksen, M., Lambert, N., Chong, G., McMaster, I., Monaghan, N., Rentz, D., Richter, R., Rose, K. & Franjević, D. (2020) Online social media tells a story of Anaselina, Paraselina, and Selivinga (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae), rare Australian pygmy grasshoppers. ZooKeys, 948, 107–119. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.948.52910
  32. Skejo, J., Deranja, M. & Adžić, K. (2020) Pygmy hunchback of New Caledonia: Notredamia dora gen. n. et sp. n.—a new cladonotin (Caelifera: Tetrigidae) genus and species from Oceania. Entomological News, 129 (2), 170–185. https://doi.org/10.3157/021.129.0206
  33. The GIMP Development Team (2019) GIMP version 2.10.12. Computer software. Available from: https://www.gimp.org (accessed 16 October 2023)
  34. Tindale, N.B. (1924) Review of Australian Mantidae. Part II. Records of the South Australian Museum, 2, 547–552.
  35. Walter, G. (2022a) Tribe Fulciniini from Crows Nest QLD 4355, Australia on May 02, 2022 at 11:00 AM by Glenda Walter. About 25 mm long, very active on a Eucalypt trunk. iNaturalist. Available from: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/114586769 (accessed 20 August 2023)
  36. Walter, G. (2022b) Tribe Fulciniini from The Palms, Cooyar QLD 4402, Australia on 18 May 2022 at 01:12 PM by Glenda Walter. About 25 mm long, found on a Eucalypt trunk. iNaturalist. Available from: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/117695385 (accessed 20 August 2023)
  37. Walter, G. (2023a) Tribe Fulciniini from Crows Nest QLD 4355, Australia on 21 January 2023 at 04:45 PM by Glenda Walter. About 15 mm long, seen on the trunk of a Eucalypt. Matthew, I have emailed you re these. iNaturalist. Available from: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147015125 (accessed 20 August 2023)
  38. Walter, G. (2023b) Tribe Fulciniini from Crows Nest QLD 4355, Australia on January 21, 2023 at 04:50 PM by Glenda Walter. About 25 mm long. Matthew, I have emailed you re these. iNaturalist. Available from: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147015177 (accessed 20 August 2023)
  39. Westwood, J.O. (1889) Revisio Insectorum Familiae Mantidarum, speciebus novis aut minus cognitis descriptis et delineates. Gurney & Jackson, London, 53 pp.
  40. Wilson, J.S., Pan, A.D., General, D.E.M. & Koch, J.B. (2020) More eyes on the prize: an observation of a very rare, threatened species of Philippine Bumble bee, Bombus irisanensis, on iNaturalist and the importance of citizen science in conservation biology. Journal of Insect Conservation, 24, 727–729. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-020-00233-3
  41. Winterton, S.L. (2020) A new bee-mimicking stiletto fly (Therevidae) from China discovered on iNaturalist. Zootaxa, 4816 (3), 361–369. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4816.3.6
  42. Zerene Systems LLC (2022) Zerene Stacker T2022-04-21-0715. Computer software. Available from: https://zerenesystems.com/cms/stacker (accessed 16 October 2023)