Mantophasmatodea

Mantophasmatidae is a family of carnivorous wingless insects within the order Notoptera, which was discovered in Africa in 2001. Originally, the group was regarded as an order in its own right, and named Mantophasmatodea, but, using recent evidence indicating a sister group relationship with Grylloblattidae (formerly classified in the order Grylloblattodea), Arillo and Engel have combined the two groups into a single order, Notoptera.

Information

The most common vernacular name for this order is gladiators, although they also are called rock crawlers, heelwalkers, mantophasmids, and colloquially, mantos. Their modern centre of endemism is western South Africa and Namibia (Brandberg Massif), although a relict population, and Eocene fossils suggest a wider ancient distribution. Mantophasmatodea are wingless even as adults, making them relatively difficult to identify. They resemble a cross between praying mantids and phasmids, and molecular evidence indicates that they are most closely related to the equally enigmatic group Grylloblattodea. Initially, the gladiators were described from old museum specimens that originally were found in Namibia (Mantophasma zephyrum) and Tanzania (M. subsolanum), 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 zephyrum was found on the Erongoberg Massif. 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.

Classification

The most recent classification recognizes numerous genera, including fossils:

• 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. (Daohugou Bed, China, Callovian)
  • Genus ?†Ensiferophasma Zompro, 2005 (assignment to Mantophasmatodea considered dubious)
• Subfamily Tanzaniophasmatinae
  • Genus Tanzaniophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003
    • Species Tanzaniophasma subsolana (Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, & Adis 2002)
• Subfamily Mantophasmatinae
  • Tribe Tyrannophasmatini
    • Genus Praedatophasma Zompro & Adis, 2002
      • Species Praedatophasma maraisi Zompro & Adis, 2002
    • Genus Tyrannophasma Zompro, 2003
      • Species Tyrannophasma gladiator Zompro, 2003
  • Tribe Mantophasmatini Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, Adis, 2002 (paraphyletic?)
    • Genus Mantophasma Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, Adis, 2002
      • 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
      • Species Pachyphasma brandbergense Wipfler, Pohl, & Predel, 2012
    • Genus Sclerophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003
      • Species Sclerophasma paresisense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, & Tojo 2003
  • Tribe Austrophasmatini Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003
    • Genus Austrophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003
      • 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
      • Species Hemilobophasma montaguense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
    • Genus Karoophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003
      • 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
      • Species Kuboesphasma compactum Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018
    • Genus Lobatophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 (formerly Lobophasma)
      • Species Lobatophasma redelinghuysense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
    • Genus Minutophasma Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018
      • Species Minutophasma richtersveldense Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018
    • Genus Namaquaphasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003
      • Species Namaquaphasma ookiepense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003
    • Genus Striatophasma Wipfler, Pohl & Predel, 2012
      • Species Striatophasma naukluftense Wipfler, Pohl & Predel, 2012
    • Genus Viridiphasma Eberhard, Picker, Klass, 2011
      • Species Viridiphasma clanwilliamense Picker, Klass, 2011