taxonID	type	description	language	source
038C87BFFFCE481BFF40F95EFEC8AF45.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Acanthops amazonica Beier, 1930	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCE481BFF40F95EFEC8AF45.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: Male habitus similar to that of Metilia, but entirely brown. Body length 23 – 35 mm. Males resembling a dry leaf, whereas females resemble a twig. Eyes slightly conical, with a small, apical wart. Vertex with arched apex, higher than eyes, and tuberculated in females. Head and pronotum smooth in males, with multiple tubercles in females. Prothoracic femora with 6 posteroventral spines, rarely with 5 or 7 on one femur. Prothoracic tibiae with 20 – 21 posteroventral spines with darkened apex, and 15 – 17 anteroventral spines. Mesothoracic wings shorter than metathoracic ones at resting, both are longer than abdomen in males but shorter in females, costal vein sinuous and excavated in the male. Lateral abdominal expansions of males of moderate size, in general, both sexes lack prominent lobes. Cerci cylindrical, distal cercomere conical, with a concave area dorsally.	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCE481BFF40F95EFEC8AF45.taxon	etymology	Etymology: Metacanthops is a name with an intentionally ambiguous origin, resulting from the fusion of the Greek prefix meta = µετά, meaning beyond, and Acanthops, genus to which the species was initially assigned. The generic epithet also results from the fusion of “ Met ” (in reference to Metilia), and Acanthops.	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCE481BFF40F95EFEC8AF45.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Metacanthops differs from Metilia in having uniformly brown forewings, whereas the same in Metilia vary from dark green to yellow. However, it is in the head where conspicuous differences between Metacanthops and Metilia, and between them and Acanthops can be observed (Figs. 13 – 22). For instance, the compound eyes of Metacanthops are only slightly conical and bear a small apical wart, whereas the same in Metilia and Acanthops are strongly conical with a more developed apical wart; the vertex of Metacanthops rises above the compound eyes, in the males it has distinct undulations in its central area and conspicuous juxtaocular process in females (Figs. 14 – 17), whereas in Metilia and Acanthops these features are missing. Metacanthops has a robust and tuberculated pronotum, but in Metilia the same is relatively narrower and smooth (Figs. 18, 19). The number of forefemoral posteroventral spines apparently constitutes a good diagnostic character in this case, as we consistently found 6 spines in all studied specimens of Metacanthops (however, in few rare cases some specimens have 5 or 7 in only one of their prothoracic legs), whereas we consistently found 7 forefemoral posteroventral spines across all specimens of Metilia (unpublished data). In addition, the margins of tergites V and VI are slightly prominent and rectangular in Metacanthops, whereas in Metilia they are dilated, semicircular or subtriangular. The reliability of certain characters to separate acanthopid genera, such as vertex features, wing shape, abdominal appendages and, particularly, the number of forefemoral spines, have been a matter of controversy (Chopard 1916; Giglio-Tos 1927; Rehn 1935; Terra 1995; Roy 2002). Chopard (1916) considered that the diagnostic characters of Plesiacanthops, Metilia, Decimiana, were all of little relevance for making such distinction, and thus he considered these genera merely as " subdivisions " of Acanthops. However, Giglio-Tos (1927) and Rehn (1935) considered that those characters were valid because they are commonly used at genuslevel in other mantodean taxa. Roy (2002) recently revisited this issue and suggested that the differentiation between Metilia and Acanthops cannot be justified based on the number of forefemoral posteroventral spines. For instance, he argued that Acanthops tuberculata has 7 posteroventral spines, unlike the rest of species in the genus with only 6 spines, whereas A. amazonica (which normally presents 6, but males sometimes having 5 or 8 in either forefemur) should be transferred to Metilia, whose species also have 7 spines. Although we agree with Roy (2002) in that amazonica is not a member of Acanthops, the newly available evidence suggest that its placement among Metilia should be reconsidered. Accordingly, we now formally transfer Acanthops amazonica Beier, 1930 to Metacanthops.	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCC481BFF40FB6BFC5FAD04.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Body coloration dark brown. Pseudophallus long in relation to titillator, broader at the base, tapering towards the apex, the latter lanceolate, sclerified and sharp, left margins with some denticles, opposite margin with elongated, basal spines, which decrease in length and sclerification level towards the apex. Hypophallus longer than broad, distal apophysis elongated and strongly curved or sinuous.	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCB4811FF40F9D3FEE3AA0E.taxon	description	(FIGURES 3, 10 – 12, 15, 17 – 18, 21, 24 – 25)	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCB4811FF40F9D3FEE3AA0E.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Body brown. Pseudophallus short in relation to titillator, curved, sclerotized, broader at the base, apex pointed; margins with elongated spines at its base, sometimes with denticles near apex.	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCB4811FF40F9D3FEE3AA0E.taxon	description	Description of male holotype. Coloration and habitus (Fig. 10). Very similar in appearance to Metacanthops amazonica. Coloration of body brown. Head (Fig. 11). Antennae with the same color as the body. Vertex arched, spotted, central area elevated. Ocelli oval, orange brown, shiny. Scutellum darker at the top, with two warts, directed slightly forward. Thorax. Pronotum with distal section narrow and rounded. Prothoracic legs with spotted coxae, dorsal area of the coxae with clear rounded spots, and small setae; femora spotted, posterolateral area with small tubercles; 16 anteroventral spines; 6 posteroventral spines; tibia with 15 anteroventral spines; 21 posteroventral spines, tibial claw dark; distal tarsus darker. Meso and metathoracic legs with brown coxae, spotted; tarsus slightly darker than the prothoracic tarsus. Metathoracic wings brown, with gradient of shades of brown and some small spots, mainly in the costal area, 5 parallel transverse veins; stigma brown. Metathoracic wings with apex ending in a small lobe with different shades of brown. Abdomen. Dark brown, tergites V and VI with dark lobes. Phallic organs (Fig. 12, 21). Right epiphallus with thin basisclerite; apophysis sclerotized, curved, and robust, with stretch marks slightly more sclerotized; apical edge membranous, quadrangular, with setae. Left epiphallus longer than width; titillator curved, cylindrical, setose; pseudophallus short compared to the titillator, curved, sclerotized, broader at the base, acuminate; margins with elongated spines at the base, and may have denticles near the apex, membranous area granulated; ventral sheet smooth. Hypophallus longer than width, subtriangular; apophysis sclerotized, smooth, curved to apex. Description of female allotype. Habitus. Body robust, brown, spotted, resembling a lichenous twig covered. Head (Fig. 15). Triangular in shape, lacking projections; antennae filiform, antennomeres dark, basally lighter; first antennomere, scape and pedicel spotted; vertex convex, higher than compound eyes, its middle part elevated and tuberculated; juxtaocular region developed and tuberculated; eyes slightly conical, not pointed, bearing a small wart; with a tubercle located between the base of each compound eye and the antennae, ocelli dark, their bases project forward (especially in lateral ocelli); ocelli yellow and rounded. Scutellum at least twice as wide as long, upper corner bifid, fork projects forward, surface concave, more conspicuously so medially, centrally darkened. Occipital edges with rows of small tubercles behind the juxtaocular region. Thorax. Surface of prothorax bearing small, scattered tubercles; pronotum rectangular (Fig. 18), with contrasting darker spots surrounded by whitish patches, altogether resembling a spotted, lichenous surface; supracoxal dilation poorly developed, prozona rising above metazona in lateral view, metazonal outline almost straight, terminal tubercle only slightly developed. Prothoracic coxae shaped as a rectangular prism, with ventral surface (" internal ") smooth, wine-colored distally, and its surface with white spots surrounded in violet; dorsal area smooth and brown; anterior and posterior surfaces with small tubercles and spines towards the edges. Prothoracic femora without lobes, slightly dilated and rounded basally, anterior region smooth, base of the femoral " brush " with a dark spot that extends to its middle area; surface of posterior area with small tubercles, and dark greenish spots, one of these near the base is darkest; ventral region dark with spots; 16 anteroventral spines, all with a black tip; from the fourth spine onwards these are slightly larger and darker, most spines with a dark spot at their bases, except the last one; six posteroventral spines, all with a dark spot at their base (except for the first spine) and black at the tip, a row of small spines is present along the edge and between the spines; 4 discoidal spines, the fourth is nearest to the third; tibial spur furrow near base of femur and with a dark spot. Tibiae with dorsal margin convex, ventral area dark, all spines with black tips; 16 anteroventral spines, separated and erect; 20 – 21 posteroventral spines, basal spines reclined forward, gradually becoming more erect towards distal end, where distal most spines are slightly curved; tarsus I longer than remaining tarsomeres together, with a small basal spot, tarsomere V longer than tarsomeres II, III and IV (separately). Meso- and metathoracic coxae elongated, shaped as a rectangular prism, surface smooth, dorsal carinae form a furrow that receives the femur, bearing small tubercles. Meso- and metathoracic femora thick, broader towards their base, smooth, with ventral carinae forming a furrow that fits the corresponding tibia, anterior and posterior areas with several tubercles arranged horizontally, lacking genicular spines; metathoracic femora longer than mesothoracic ones. Meso- and metathoracic tibiae with basal area dilated, distal area calyx-shaped, with two dorso-distal lobes, one small ventro-distal lobe, and two thick genicular spines; metathoracic tibiae longer than mesothoracic ones. Meso- and metathoracic tarsi with the proximal and distal area spotted, mid-section whitish, and distal tarsomere approximately as long as basal one. Mesothoracic wings leathery, opaque, spotted, upright and appearing slightly shorter than metathoracic ones in resting position; edges smooth, without undulations or lobes; costal area basally dilated, narrowing towards the tip, reticulated, corrugated, darker than discoidal area; discoidal area whitish, resembling a lichenous surface; stigma uniformly brown. Metathoracic wings shorter than abdomen when at rest, costal area yellow and subhyaline, discoidal area with dark, central spot, cells (except basal ones) yellow. Abdomen. Ovoid, first segment short; between first and second tergite there is an extensive membrane that articulates this part of the abdomen; tergites III and IV with central black spot, V and VI with horizontal distal spot and a clear proximal area; tergites II, III, IV and VII with clear latero-distal tubercles, tergites V and VI dilated but lacking lobes; lateral margins of tergites with whitish spots. Supraanal plate broader than long, obtuse, without carina, with a small distal central fold; sternites corrugated, with some tubercles, especially towards its distal edge, with lateral spots, two dark, central spots on the subgenital plate. Cerci conical, last segment concave in its dorsal aspect. Measurements (mm). Body, 32.6; head (vertex to distal margin of labrum), 6.3; pronotum, 11.5; prozona, 4.2; metazona, 7.3; mesothoracic wings, 10.8; metathoracic wings, 9.4; abdomen, 14.3; prothoracic coxae, 9.9; prothoracic femora, 11.7; prothoracic tibiae (measurement without the distal claw), 8; mesothoracic coxae, 4.1; mesothoracic femora, 5; mesothoracic tibiae, 5.2; metathoracic coxae, 4.1; metathoracic femora, 6.3; metathoracic tibiae, 7.1.	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCB4811FF40F9D3FEE3AA0E.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Latin, fuscum, in reference to the dark brown color of males.	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCB4811FF40F9D3FEE3AA0E.taxon	materials_examined	Type locality. Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil Type material examined. HOLOTYPE, BRAZIL: 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 14 torre (40 mts altura) (S 02 ° 35 ' 21 " W 60 ° 06 ' 55 "), vii. 2004, lençol com luz mista (J. A. Rafael, C. S. Motta, F. F. Xavier F °, J. M. F. Ribeiro e S. Trovisco leg.) (INPA). ALLOTYPE, BRASIL: 1 ♀ Amazonas, Manaus, Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke- INPA, Base, 29. v. 2017 (L. Lanna, J. Herculano, A. Agudelo leg.) Manual (INPA). PARATYPES, BRASIL: 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 14 torre (40 mts altura) (S 02 ° 35 ' 21 " W 60 ° 06 ' 55 "), 18 – 21. v. 2004 (J. A. Rafael, F. B. Baccaro, F. F. Xavier F ° & A. Silva F. X leg.), lençol com luz mista (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 14 torre (40 mts altura) (S 02 ° 05 ' 21 " W 60 ° 06 ' 55 "), x. 2004 (J. A. Rafael leg.), lençol com luz mista (MZSP); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Presidente Figueiredo, AM- 240 Km 24 (S 02 ° 01 ' 05 " W 59 ° 49 ' 60 "), 14 – 18. ix. 2009 (F. F. Xavier F °, A. Paladini, A. C. Pires & P. W. Leivas leg.), lençol com luz mista (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Coari, Rio Urucu, RUC- 36 (S 04 ° 55 ' 53 " W 65 ° 18 ' 13 "), 25. ii – 10. iii. 1995 (P. F. Buhrnheim leg.), lençol com luz mista (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Coari, Rio Urucu, Igarapé Marta 3 (S 01 ° 50 ' 73 " W 65 ° 02 ' 37 "), 14 – 25. viii. 1993 (P. F. Buhrnheim leg.), lençol com luz mista (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Itacoatiara, Rio Urubu (S 02 ° 10 ' W 59 ° 49 '), 12 – 13. iii. 1983 (P. F. Buhrnheim, N. Otaviano & S. Leite leg.), lençol com luz mista (CZPB-UFAM); 1 ♂ Maranhão, Bom Jardim, ReBIO- Res. Biol. Gurupi (S 03 ° 14 ' 01 " W 46 ° 40 ' 52 "), 2 – 11. ix. 2010 (F. Limeira-de-Oliveira, J. C. Silva, M. M. Abreu & J. A Silva leg.), lençol com luz mista (CZMA); 1 ♂ Maranhão, Centro Novo do Maranhão, ReBIO-Res. Biol. Gurupi (S 03 ° 14 ' 05 " W 46 ° 41 ' 83 "), 01 – 05. vii. 2011 (M. M. Abreu & J. A Silva leg.), lençol com luz mista (CZMA). Additional examined material. BRAZIL: 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 14 torre (25 mts altura) (S 02 ° 35 ' 21 " W 60 ° 06 ' 55 "), 18 – 21. ii. 2004 (J. A. Rafael, F. F. Xavier F ° e A. Silva F ° leg.), lençol com luz mista (MZSP); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 14 torre (40 mts altura) (S 02 ° 35 ' 21 " W 60 ° 06 ' 55 "), 18 – 21. iv. 2004 (J. A. Rafael, C. S. Motta, F. F. Xavier F ° e J. M. F. Ribeiro leg.), lençol com luz mista (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 14 torre (40 mts altura) (S 02 ° 35 ' 21 " W 60 ° 06 ' 55 "), 12 – 21. ii. 2004 (J. A. Rafael, C. S. Motta, F. F. Xavier F °, J. M. F. Ribeiro e S. Trovisco leg.), lençol com luz mista (MCTP); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 14 torre (35 mts altura) (S 02 ° 35 ' 21 " W 60 ° 06 ' 55 "), 13 – 16. viii. 2004 (J. A. Rafael, F. F. Xavier F °, A. Silva F ° e S. Trovisco leg.), lençol com luz mista (MPEG); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 34 (base LBA) (S 02 ° 35 ' 37 " W 60 ° 12 ' 39 "), 10. vii. 2008 (J. A. Rafael, F. F. Xavier F ° leg.), lençol com luz mista (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 34 (base LBA) (S 02 ° 35 ' 37 " W 60 ° 12 ' 39 "), 21. vi. 2012 (C. Maldaner e P. R. Bartolomay leg.), lençol com luz mista (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, ZF 2 km 14 torre (40 mts altura) (S 02 ° 35 ' 21 " W 60 ° 06 ' 55 "), 06 – 09. viii. 2013 (C. Maldaner, A. Agudelo, F. F. Xavier F ° e D. M. M. Mendes leg.), lençol com luz mista (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, Fazenda Porto Alegre, BR 174, 12 – 13. Viii. 1996 (R. Hutchings leg.), Pensilvânia com cianeto (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Presidente Figueiredo, AM- 240 Km 24 (S 02 ° 00 ' 55 " W 59 ° 49 ' 40 "), viii. 2005 (F. F. Xavier F ° leg.), lençol com luz mista (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, campus UFAM, 05 – 09. vi. 1984 (INPA); 1 ♂ Amazonas, Manaus, Conjunto Acaricoara, ix. 2009 (Y. Dantas leg.) (INPA). Geographical records (Figure 23). Brazil (Amazonas, Maranhão).	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
038C87BFFFCB4811FF40F9D3FEE3AA0E.taxon	discussion	Remarks. The discovery of a new species with the characteristics of A. amazonica enlightened us about an Amazonian lineage related to Metilia. The existence of this lineage was first hinted in the phylogenetic analysis of Rivera & Svenson (2016), who resolved A. amazonica as sister group of the " other " Metilia (sensu stricto). Heterospecific representatives of this Amazonian lineage have well conserved external morphology, and thus comparative analysis of male genitalia was necessary to differentiate Metacanthops amazonica from M. fuscum. Studied specimens of M. amazonica were darker, whereas those of M. fuscum were somewhat lighter in color, mainly in regards of the mesothoracic wings, which also exhibit various shades of brown, often with small markings of different intensity. The most evident differences are found in the pseudophallus, which is short and hook-like in M. fuscum, (sometimes bearing small denticles), but long, lanceolate and with acute apex in M. amazonica.	en	Agudelo, Antonio A., Maldaner, Caroline, Rafael, José A. (2019): Dry leaf or twig mantis? A new genus and species of Acanthopidae with sexually dimorphic cryptic strategies (Insecta: Mantodea). Zootaxa 4560 (2): 331-344, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4560.2.6
