Hierodula longa

Hierodula longa (Yang, 1997) (Figs. 12E–F, 14E–F) Rhombodera longa Yang, 1997: 229. Holotype (♂): China, Yunnan, CAU; Zhu et al., 2012: 252–254; Wang et al., 2020b: 1582–1583. Material examined. 1♂, 1♀, CHINA, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Menglun, 21°55’N, 101°11’E, alt. 700m, 2.iv.2019, leg. Guozhong Yang. 1♀, CHINA, Sichuan, Panzhihua, 2.ix.2019, leg. Mansell Lin. Measurements [in mm, ♂ (n = 1), ♀ (n = 2)]. Body length, ♂ 75.1, ♀ 71.4–78.0. Pronotum length, ♂ 25.0, ♀ 26.1–27.4. Forewing length, ♂ 63.6, ♀ 46.4–49.8. Distribution. China (Sichuan, Yunnan). Remarks. This species was described in Rhombodera by Yang (1997) on account of the dilated pronotum of adults. However, Rhombodera is currently known as a paraphyletic assemblage of different lineages related to Hierodula that share dilated pronotum, a seemingly homoplasic character within Hierodulinae (Schwarz & Konopik, 2014). Zhu et al. (2012) attributed this species to Hierodula basing on their biology and ootheca studies. Recently, phylogenetic analysis suggested that H. longa clustered into a clade with ‘ H. membranacea ’ (= H. chinens is Werner, 1929) (Wang et al. 2020b). This work referred to the mitochondrial genomes data from Zhang et al. (2018), which used sequenced samples of H. membranacea collected from Qingyuan, China, outside of the currently known distribution of this species. Considering the identification confusions in previous publications between H. membranacea and H. chinensis, it cannot be ruled out that the samples really belong to H. chinensis. Moreover, external male genital structures and morphology of H. longa also shares similarities with H. chinensis. In conclusion, to determine the generic assignment of H. longa may still need more evidence and a redefining of Hierodula and Rhombodera. Male genitalia (Fig. 12E–F). Left phallomere: sclerite L4B spoon-shaped. Sclerite L2 long fusiform in shape, gradually narrowing distally. Apical process paa long, with hook-shaped apex. Pafa slightly curved, more developed than aafa. Both aafa and pafa with the sharp apex. Ventral phallomere: sclerite L4A very broad, subquadrate. Sdpl spear-shaped, darkly pigmented, gradually narrowing towards the apex; slightly shorter than the width of sclerite L4A. Right phallomere: lobe fda nearly triangular, pva and pia claw-like. Ootheca (Fig. 14E–F) barrel-like, similar to that of H. chinensis but with smaller, compactly arranged emergence area and thinner and smoother external wall. Proximal end of ootheca partially encircling the substrate to which it is attached, sitting with its ventral surface exposed. External wall very hard, dark brown after removal of its whitish external coating. Each chamber opening exposed, clearly delimited, of an irregular pentagonal shape.Published as part of Liu, Qin-Peng, Liu, Zi-Jun, Wang, Guo-Li & Yin, Zi-Xu, 2021, Taxonomic revision of the praying mantis subfamily Hierodulinae of China (Mantodea: Mantidae), pp. 401-433 in Zootaxa 4951 (3) on page 410, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4951.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/466805