Mantis indica Mukherjee , 1995 : a synonym of Statilia nemoralis ( Saussure , 1870 ) ( Insecta : Mantodea )

Mantis indica (Mukherjee, 1995) was erected on the basis of some distinctive characters. Based on morphological characters, it was supposed to belong to the genus Statilia (Roy (1999: 163). However, in the absence of the knowledge of the structure of genitalia, its species status remained confusing. A further study on the structure of genitalia revealed that Mantis indica (Mukherjee, 1995) is undoubtedly a synonym of Statilia nemoralis (Saussure, 1870). A table is provided to compare significant features of related species. Colour photographs of holotype and genitalia of comparable species are also provided.

Taxonomy of mantids based on external features may often lead to a wrong assignment of the status of a new species.Hence emphasis is given on the structure of male genitalia which provides a perfect clue to the status of the species.In this paper a new synonym has been established by comparing external features and genitalia.Mantis indica (Images 5 & 6, holotype female) was described by Mukherjee in Mukherjee et al. (1995) based on one male and one female from Himachal Pradesh, India.Later, the dissected genitalia of this species were found to match perfectly with the genitalia of Statilia nemoralis (Saussure, 1870).However, some morphological distinctions are obvious between the two species.The three species studied under the genus Mantis were: Mantis religiosa L., 1758, Mantis inornata Werner, 1930, andMantis indica Mukherjee, 1995.The three species studied under the genus Statilia were: Statilia apicalis (Saussure, 1871), Statilia maculata (Thunberg, 1784) and Statilia nemoralis (Saussure, 1870).All these were studied for their external features.The genitalia were dissected out from species as mentioned in materials and method section.It is to be noted that Roy (1999: 163) mentioned that by description Mantis indica Mukherjee, 1995 falls under the genus Statilia, however, the description of genitalia was not given.Berg et al. (2011: 44) attested the view of Roy (1999).
Materials and Method: The study materials came from West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh of India as mentioned here.These were identified based on external and genitalia characters.
Results and Discussion: In both the species, Mantis religiosa and Mantis inornata, the hypophallus is distinctly very big and oval elongated; its distal end is blunt finger-like in Mantis religiosa (Bazyluk 1960, fig. 51), but more pointed in Mantis inornata (Image 1; also Bazyluk 1960, fig. 52).The hypophallus is broad and triangular in Statilia maculata (Image 2); but this is very narrowly triangular in both Mantis indica (Image 3) and Statilia nemoralis (Image 4).The apex of the titillator of Mantis religiosa and Mantis inornata are distinct by its bifid apex.This feature is absent in Mantis indica, Statilia nemoralis and Statilia maculata.
The development of contiguous internal apical lobes of coxae puts Mantis indica under the genus Statilia.This is supported by the presence of (i) black patch on femur, (ii) pale yellow claw groove, and (iii) black internal spines with extensions.However, there are some morphological similarities between Mantis indica and Mantis inornata (Table 1) whose genitalia are distinctly different.Again, Mantis indica and Mantis inornata deviated much from Mantis religiosa; some characters common to these two species are quite diagnostic in members of Statilia.Some of the specific characters of Mantis religiosa are not seen in any species of the two genera which may be assumed as a separate line of evolution (Table 1).
Thus the following inferences may be made on the two genera: 1. Mantis religiosa has probably deviated more from the main stock of the genus Mantis.
2. Mantis inornata seems to be more primitive by the development of no patches on coxa, more triangularly elongated hypophallus and pale yellow claw groove.