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Sympatry in Mantophasmatodea, with the description of a new species and phylogenetic considerations

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Abstract

We describe a new genus of Mantophasmatodea, Viridiphasma gen. n. (Austrophasmatidae), represented by one new species, V. clanwilliamense sp. n. The new species differs from previously described species in features of the male and female postabdomen including the genitalia, in morphometrics and details of colouration. The new species occurs syntopically with another austrophasmatid, Karoophasma biedouwense Klass et al., 2003; this is the first well-documented case of sympatry of two mantophasmatodean species. We therefore survey the morphological differences between these two species, document the absence of any morphological evidence of hybridisation, and also report on differences in life history. While a previous molecular phylogeny using COI and 16S genes ambiguously placed V. clanwilliamense sp. n. near the base of Austrophasmatidae (but not as sister to all other Austrophasmatidae), morphological characters strongly support V. clanwilliamense sp. n. to be the sister taxon of a clade comprising all remaining Austrophasmatidae. This phylogenetic placement challenges the current hypothesis of a linear north-to-south diversification of Austrophasmatidae.

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Abbreviations

antl:

antenna length

bodl:

body length

emad:

distance between eye and mandibular articulation

eyeh:

eye height

eyel:

eye length

genh:

gena height

heaw:

head width

iocw:

interocular width

msnl:

mesonotum length

mtfl:

metafemur length

mtnl:

metanotum length

mttl:

metatibia length

prfl:

profemur length

prnl:

pronotum length

prnw:

pronotum width

prtl:

protibia length

t10l– :

minimum length of tergum X

t10l+ :

maximum length of tergum X

t10w:

width of tergum X

thol:

thorax length

at8:

anterior apodeme/tendon of abdominal laterocoxosternum VIII

dpc:

dorsal projection of cercus

gp8:

gonapophysis VIII

gp9:

gonapophysis IX

GP9:

sclerotization of gonapophysis IX

IP:

sclerite of posterior intervalvula

LS8:

abdominal laterocoxosternum VIII (subgenital plate)

PH1–8:

phallic sclerites 1–8

phl:

phallic hook, long

phs:

phallic hook, short

pli:

phallic lobe, internal

spb:

spermathecal bulb

spt:

spermathecal tube

va:

vagina

MTD:

Museum für Tierkunde, Dresden

SAMC:

South African Museum, Cape Town

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank S. H. Eberhard for providing photographs for Fig. 1. Cape Nature is thanked for permit AAA007-00020-0035 to collect Mantophasmatodea and undertake this work at Clanwilliam. We thank Olaf Bininda-Emonds and two anonymous referees for helpful comments on the manuscript. M.P. received financial support through a University of Cape Town URC grant, M.J.B.E. was financially supported by a doc.award (University of Vienna, Kulturabteilung Stadt Wien).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioural Physiology, Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    Monika J. B. Eberhard

  2. Zoology Department, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7700, Cape Town, South Africa

    Mike D. Picker

  3. Museum für Tierkunde, Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Königsbrücker Landstraße 159, 01109, Dresden, Germany

    Klaus-Dieter Klass

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  1. Monika J. B. Eberhard
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  3. Klaus-Dieter Klass
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Correspondence to Monika J. B. Eberhard.

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Eberhard, M.J.B., Picker, M.D. & Klass, KD. Sympatry in Mantophasmatodea, with the description of a new species and phylogenetic considerations. Org Divers Evol 11, 43–59 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-010-0037-8

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