Mantophasmatidae
Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox
Mantophasmatidae is a family of carnivorous wingless insects in southern Africa which are placed within the order or suborder Mantophasmatodea. They were discovered in 2001.[1][2] They are the sister group of the Grylloblattidae, classified in the order or suborder Grylloblattodea.[3][4]
Arillo and Engel have combined the Grylloblattodea and Mantophasmatodea into a single order, Notoptera, with the two groups ranked as suborders.[5] Alternatively, Grylloblattodea and Mantophasmatodea are considered orders of a clade Xenonomia.[3]
Overview
The most common vernacular name for this order is gladiators, although they also are called rock crawlers, heelwalkers, mantophasmids, and colloquially, mantos.[6] Their modern centre of endemism is western South Africa and Namibia (Brandberg Massif),[7] although the modern relict population of Tanzaniophasma subsolana in Tanzania and Eocene fossils suggest a wider ancient distribution.
Mantophasmatodea are wingless even as adults, making them difficult to identify. They resemble a cross between praying mantises and phasmids, and molecular evidence indicates that they are most closely related to the equally enigmatic group Grylloblattodea.[3][4] Initially, the gladiators were described from old museum specimens that originally were found in Namibia (Mantophasma zephyra) and Tanzania (M. subsolana), and from a 45-million-year-old specimen of Baltic amber (Raptophasma kerneggeri).
Live specimens were found in Namibia by an international expedition in early 2002; Tyrannophasma gladiator was found on the Brandberg Massif, and Mantophasma zephyra was found on the Erongoberg Massif.[8]
Since then, a number of new genera and species have been discovered, the most recent being two new genera, Kuboesphasma and Minutophasma, each with a single species, described from Richtersveld in South Africa in 2018.[9]
Biology
Mantophasmatids are wingless carnivores. During courtship, they communicate using vibrations transmitted through the ground or substrate.[10]
Classification
The classification of Mantophasmatodea in Arillo & Engel (2006)[5] recognizes numerous genera, including fossils, in a single family Mantophasmatidae:
- Basal and incertae sedis
- Genus †Raptophasma Zompro, 2001 – Baltic amber, Eocene
- Genus †Adicophasma Engel & Grimaldi, 2004 – Baltic amber, Eocene
- Genus †Juramantophasma Huang et al, 2008[11] – Daohugou Bed, China, Middle Jurassic (Callovian)
- Genus ?†Ensiferophasma Zompro, 2005[12] – Baltic amber, Eocene (assignment to Mantophasmatodea considered dubious)Template:Refn
- Subfamily Tanzaniophasmatinae Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003Template:Refn
- Genus Tanzaniophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – Tanzania
- Species Tanzaniophasma subsolana (Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, & Adis 2002)
- Genus Tanzaniophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – Tanzania
- Subfamily Mantophasmatinae
- Tribe Tyrannophasmatini Zompro, 2005[12]
- Genus Praedatophasma Zompro & Adis, 2002 – Namibia
- Species Praedatophasma maraisi Zompro & Adis, 2002
- Genus Tyrannophasma Zompro, 2003 – Namibia
- Species Tyrannophasma gladiator Zompro, 2003
- Genus Praedatophasma Zompro & Adis, 2002 – Namibia
- Tribe Mantophasmatini Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, Adis, 2002 (paraphyletic?)
- Genus Mantophasma Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, Adis, 2002 – Namibia
- Species Mantophasma gamsbergense Zompro & Adis, 2006
- Species Mantophasma kudubergense Zompro & Adis, 2006
- Species Mantophasma omatakoense Zompro & Adis, 2006
- Species Mantophasma zephyra Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, & Adis 2002
- Genus Pachyphasma Wipfler, Pohl, & Predel, 2012 – Namibia
- Species Pachyphasma brandbergense Wipfler, Pohl, & Predel, 2012
- Genus Sclerophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – Namibia
- Species Sclerophasma paresisense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, & Tojo 2003
- Genus Mantophasma Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, Adis, 2002 – Namibia
- Tribe Austrophasmatini Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003Template:Refn
- Genus Austrophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa
- Species Austrophasma caledonense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
- Species Austrophasma gansbaaiense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
- Species Austrophasma rawsonvillense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
- Genus Hemilobophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa
- Species Hemilobophasma montaguense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
- Genus Karoophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa
- Species Karoophasma biedouwense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
- Species Karoophasma botterkloofense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
- Genus Kuboesphasma Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018 – South Africa
- Species Kuboesphasma compactum Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018
- Genus Lobatophasma Damgaard, Klass, Picker & Buder, 2008 (formerly Lobophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003) – South Africa
- Species Lobatophasma redelinghuysense (Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003)
- Genus Minutophasma Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018 – South Africa
- Species Minutophasma richtersveldense Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018
- Genus Namaquaphasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa
- Species Namaquaphasma ookiepense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003
- Genus Striatophasma Wipfler, Pohl & Predel, 2012 – Namibia
- Species Striatophasma naukluftense Wipfler, Pohl & Predel, 2012
- Genus Viridiphasma Eberhard, Picker, Klass, 2011[13] – South Africa
- Species Viridiphasma clanwilliamense Eberhard, Picker, Klass, 2011
- Genus Austrophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa
- Tribe Tyrannophasmatini Zompro, 2005[12]
Some taxonomists assign full family status to the subfamilies and tribes, and sub-ordinal status to the family. In total, there are 21 extant species described as of 2018.[9]
See also
Notes
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References
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External links
Template:Sister project Template:Sister project
- Mantophasmatodea - A new order of insects
- New insect order found in Southern Africa
- New order of insects identified: Mantophasmatodea find their place in Class Insecta Template:Webarchive
- Man discovers a new life-form at a South African truck stop
Template:Orders of Insects Template:Notoptera Template:Taxonbar