Wiki: Mantophasmatidae - upcScavenger

Mantophasmatidae is a family of carnivorous wingless insects within the monotypic order Mantophasmatodea, which was discovered in Africa in 2001. Recent evidence indicates a sister group relationship with Grylloblattidae (classified in the order Grylloblattodea), and Arillo and Engel have combined the two groups into a single order, Notoptera, with Grylloblattodea and Mantophasmatodea ranked as suborders.

Overview

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 the modern relict population of Tanzaniophasma subsolana in Tanzania and Eocene fossils suggest a wider ancient distribution.

Mantophasmatodea are wingless even as , making them relatively difficult to identify. They resemble a cross between and phasmatodea, 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 zephyra) and Tanzania ( M. subsolana), and from a 45-million-year-old specimen of Baltic Sea 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 zephyra was found on the Erongo.

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.

Biology

Mantophasmatids are wingless carnivores. During courtship, they communicate using vibrations transmitted through the ground or substrate.

J. A. Randall (2025). 9789400774131 ISBN 9789400774131

Classification

The classification of Mantophasmatodea in Arillo & Engel (2006) recognizes numerous genera, including fossils, in a single family Manophasmatidae:

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, Middle Jurassic (Callovian)
Genus ?† Ensiferophasma Zompro, 2005 – Baltic amber, Eocene (assignment to Mantophasmatodea considered dubious)

Subfamily Tanzaniophasmatinae Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003

Genus Tanzaniophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – Tanzania

Species Tanzaniophasma subsolana (Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, & Adis 2002)

Subfamily Mantophasmatinae

Tribe Tyrannophasmatini Zompro, 2005

Genus Praedatophasma Zompro & Adis, 2002 – Namibia

Species Praedatophasma maraisi Zompro & Adis, 2002

Genus Tyrannophasma Zompro, 2003 – Namibia

Species Tyrannophasma gladiator Zompro, 2003

Tribe Mantophasmatini Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, Adis, 2002 (paraphyletic?)

Genus Mantophasma Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, Adis, 2002 – Namibia

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 – Namibia

Species Pachyphasma brandbergense Wipfler, Pohl, & Predel, 2012

Genus Sclerophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – Namibia

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 – South Africa

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 – South Africa

Species Hemilobophasma montaguense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003

Genus Karoophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa

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 – South Africa

Species Kuboesphasma compactum Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018

Genus Lobatophasma Damgaard, Klass, Picker & Buder, 2008 (formerly Lobophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003) – South Africa

Species Lobatophasma redelinghuysense (Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003)

Genus Minutophasma Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018 – South Africa

Species Minutophasma richtersveldense Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018

Genus Namaquaphasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa

Species Namaquaphasma ookiepense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003

Genus Striatophasma Wipfler, Pohl & Predel, 2012 – Namibia

Species Striatophasma naukluftense Wipfler, Pohl & Predel, 2012

Genus Viridiphasma Eberhard, Picker, Klass, 2011 – South Africa

Species Viridiphasma clanwilliamense Eberhard, Picker, Klass, 2011

Some taxonomists assign full family status to the subfamilies and tribes, and sub-ordinal status to the family. In total, there are 21 extant species described as of 2018.

Mantophasmatidae

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Mantophasmatidae

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