On a collection of praying mantids ( Insecta : Mantodea ) from Goa , India , with new distribution records

Mantid fauna of southern India is very rich. Out of the 162 species of mantids under 68 genera reported from India, 45 species under 35 genera are known from southern India (Mukherjee et al. 1995). Only one species was reported from Goa, which is one of the smallest states of India located in the western coast. Serious attempts for field surveys and collection of mantids have ever been carried in the region. The present paper is based on some mantid species from Goa collected during a field survey conducted during the months of SeptemberOctober 2008. A total of six species of mantids under six genera are collected and reported for the first time from Goa, India. The state of Goa is located within 15048’00”14053’54”N & 74020’13”-73040’33”E and bounded on the north by Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra State, on the west by the Arabian Sea, on the south by Karwar District of Karnataka State and on the east by Belgaum District of Karnataka State. The climate of Goa is warm and humid for most of the year and the month of May is the hottest, with daytime temperatures touching 350C. The monsoon rains arrive around early June and have a short cool season which lasts between mid-December and February. Materials and Methods: The field survey to collect mantid specimens was carried out in the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary (WS), Bhagavan Mahaveer WS and Cotigao WS. Goa, during the months of September and October 2008. The specimens were hand picked and collected by light traping. Detailed studies of the specimens were carried out with a Leica EZ4D Stereo Zoom Microscope and digital images were prepared using Olympus SP-350 8MP camera. The specimens were identified following Giglio-Tos (1927), Mukherjee et al. (1995), Henry (1932) and Ehrmann (2002). All the specimens studied are kept in the Zoology Department of Providence Women’s College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India. Measurements are given in millimeter. Results: The systematic list of the mantid species collected from Goa is as follows.

Mantid fauna of southern India is very rich.Out of the 162 species of mantids under 68 genera reported from India, 45 species under 35 genera are known from southern India (Mukherjee et al. 1995).Only one species was reported from Goa, which is one of the smallest states of India located in the western coast.Serious attempts for field surveys and collection of mantids have ever been carried in the region.The present paper is based on some mantid species from Goa collected during a field survey conducted during the months of September-October 2008.A total of six species of mantids under six genera are collected and reported for the first time from Goa, India.
The state of Goa is located within 15 0 48'00"-14 0 53'54"N & 74 0 20'13"-73 0 40'33"E and bounded on the north by Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra State, on the west by the Arabian Sea, on the south by Karwar District of Karnataka State and on the east by Belgaum District of Karnataka State.The climate of Goa is warm and humid for most of the year and the month of May is the hottest, with daytime temperatures touching 35 0 C. The monsoon rains arrive around early June and have a short cool season which lasts between mid-December and February.
Materials and Methods: The field survey to collect mantid specimens was carried out in the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary (WS), Bhagavan Mahaveer WS and Cotigao WS.Goa, during the months of September and October 2008.The specimens were hand picked and collected by light traping.Detailed studies of the specimens were carried out with a Leica EZ4D Stereo Zoom Microscope and digital images were prepared using Olympus SP-350 8MP camera.The specimens were identified following Giglio-Tos (1927), Mukherjee et al. (1995), Henry (1932) and Ehrmann (2002).All the specimens studied are kept in the Zoology Department of Providence Women's College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India.Measurements are given in millimeter.
Results: The systematic list of the mantid species collected from Goa is as follows.Diagnostic characters: Generally greenish-brown, head triangular, 2x wider than high, eyes rounded bulging, metazona 3x longer than prozona, edge of the pronotum with fine tubercles; disc smooth; fore coxa as long as metazona, 4-5 spines present in the anterior margin.Femur: dorsal middle region with a hump, four external spines, four discoidal spines and 13 internal spines, longer internal spines black at tip and base, claw groove placed at proximal end, wings longer than abdomen; fore wings less densely reticulated, costal area truncated at tip.
Remarks: Mostly observed and collected during night.