Green vestment mantis (Phyllothelys qingjinum) from Malipo, Yunnan, with cross collar on pronotum

NEWS - Green vestment mantis (Phyllothelys qingjinum) from Malipo, Yunnan, China, is described based on geometric morphometric, genetic distance and molecular phylogenetic analyses. The discovery of this new species fills a significant distribution gap for the P. werneri group in southern Yunnan and highlights the need for further exploration in this region.

Phyllothelys Wood-Mason, 1876 (Mantodea, Hymenopodidae) includes 22 species with China being the hotspot containing 15 species in four groups, especially P. werneri which includes 6 species. This suggests a wide distribution across the mountainous region south of the Yangtze River extending from Medog in the west to Taiwan Island in the east.

P. qingjinum has dimensions (mm) with head to abdomen: 52.75-54.95, head to wing: 58.60-62.14, pronotum: 15.30-17.76, prozone: 3.46-3.95, metazone: 11.84-13.88, anterior coxa: 8.39-10.64, anterior femur: 9.36-11.46, anterior tibia: 5.55-7.02, posterior femur: 7.82-9.35, posterior tibia: 6.82-8.54, anterior wing: 32.03-36.79 and posterior wing: 28.70-33.16.

The new species has a distribution in Yunnan. The name is derived from the Chinese word ‘青衿’(Qingjin) which refers to the green cross-collared robe in ancient Hanfu. The term metaphorically refers to the distinctive green color of the dorsal edge of the pronotum of this species when alive.

The researchers compared with other species based on morphometrics with P. qingjinum being distant from the others. P. chuangtsei and P. werneri were each clearly separated from the other species. In contrast, P. jiazhii, P. jianfenglingense and P. dulongense were closer to each other showing considerable overlap.

P. qingjinum differs from the other species based on morphology and the colored patches on the prothoracic legs. The large, closely arranged colored patches in the discoid area of the forewings resemble those of P. jianfenglingense and P. dulongense. However, P. qingjinum shows a relatively prominent supracoxal dilatation with obvious lateral pronotal expansion.

P. chuangtsei shows lateral pronotal expansions developing around the supracoxal dilatation. However, P. qingjinum can be further distinguished by its larger size and the presence of numerous longer and sharper spines on the sdp and apha of the male external genitalia.

Original research

Liu Q, Wu C, Ye B, Liu X (2024). Integrated taxonomy reveals a new praying mantis species of Phyllothelys Wood-Mason, 1876 (Mantodea, Hymenopodidae) from Yunnan, China. Biodiversity Data Journal 12: e132161, DOI:10.3897/BDJ.12.e132161

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