First assessment of the biodiversity of praying mantises (Insecta: Mantodea) in Cameroon with DNA barcoding

Comments. New record for Cameroon. Plistospilota Giglio-Tos, 1911 Plistospilota cf. P. maxima Giglio-Tos, 1917 Type locality. Unknown. Type deposition. Holotype ♂ NHMUK? Material. 29♂ (VGPC23321-3, VGPC23704-29): 1♂ Mbalmayo Region, Ebogo II village, light trap 3˚23’38.4"N 11˚28’15.6"E, 27.VII-1.VIII.2021, V. Govorov leg.; 5♂ same data, but 2- 10.VIII.2021; 9♂ same data, but 11-22.VIII.2021; 12♂ same data, but 26.I-9.III.2022.2021, J. Sˇobotnı´k leg; 2♂ same data, but 25.V-2.VI.2022, J. Sˇobotnı´k leg. Distribution. Cameroon, CAR, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast?, Gabon, Republic of the Congo. Comments. The genus is in urgent need of revision, identification to species level is not reliable. Plistospilota cf. P. validissima (Gerstaecker, 1883) Type locality. Aburi, Ghana. Type deposition. Holotype ♂ EMAU. Material. 4♂ (VGPC23730-3): 2♂ Mbalmayo Region, Ebogo II village, light trap 3˚ 23’38.4"N 11˚28’15.6"E, 27.VII-1.VIII.2021, V. Govorov leg.; 2♂ same data, but 26.I-9. III.2022.2021, J. Sˇobotnı´k leg. Distribution. Cameroon, CAR, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia. Comments. The genus is in urgent need of revision, identification to species level is not reliable. Polyspilota Burmeister, 1838 Polyspilota aeruginosa (Goeze, 1778) Type locality. Unknown. Type deposition. Holotype? EMAU. Material. 27♂, 25♀ (VGPC2353-5, VGPC23519-31, VGPC23735-70): 7♂, 10♀ Mbalmayo Region, Ebogo II village, light trap 3˚23’38.4"N 11˚28’15.6"E, 27.VII-1.VIII.2021, V. Govorov

leg.; 7♂, 6♀ same data, but 2-10.VIII.2021; 9♂, 3♀ same data, but 11-22.VIII.2021; 3♂, 3♀ same data, but 26.I-9.III.2022.2021, J. Sˇobotnı´k leg; 1♂, 3♀ same data, but 1.VI.2022, J. Sˇobotnı´k leg. Distribution. Angola, Cameroon, Cape Verde, CAR, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Namibia, Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe. Comments. One adult male was collected with a Torymidae wasp attached under the wings, while another immature female was found to be infected with Tachinidae larva. Polyspilota pavani La Greca, 1966 Type locality. La Maboke´, CAR. Type deposition. Holotype ♂ RMCA. Material. 3♂ (VGPC23329-30, VGPC23734): 2♂ Mbalmayo Region, Ebogo II village, light trap 3˚23’38.4"N 11˚28’15.6"E, 30.VII-12.VIII.2021, V. Govorov leg.; 1♂ same data, but 26.I-9. III.2022.2021, J. Sˇobotnı´k leg. Distribution. Cameroon, CAR, Gabon. Comments. Roy [24] mentions this species being present in Cameroon without providing any specified locality data. This is the first precise record of this species for the country. Prohierodula Bolivar, 1908 Prohierodula laticollis (Karsch, 1892) Type locality. Lake Barombi, Cameroon. Type deposition. Holotype ♂ ZMHB. PLOS ONE Diversity of praying mantises in Cameroon PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304163 May 23, 2024 14 / 23