Description of a new species of praying mantis (Insecta: Mantodea) from Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, India

ABSTRACT

A new species of praying mantis of the genus Parananomantis Mukherjee, 1995, Parananomantis fascifemorata sp. nov., from the forest area of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, Kerala, India, is described and illustrated. A dichotomous key to the species of the genus and the description of male genitalia of the new species are also provided.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8585581B-E3A6-40A7-AFE0-98C0893DB18A

KEYWORDS:

• Praying mantis
• Nanomantidae
• new species
• Parananomantis
• Kerala

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to The Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, for the support and facilities. We express our sincere thanks to Dr. Sheela S. (Scientist-E, ZSI, Kolkata) for providing the photographs of the holotype of Parananomantis brevis and Dr. Tushar Kanti Mukherjee for his support. Special thanks to the staffs and officers of Shendurney and Peppara wildlife sanctuaries for the permission and help. The second author is thankful to University Grant Commission for the funding.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University Grants Commission.