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

Barcodes of 6 species (Bolivaroscelis bolivarii, B. carinata, Polyspilota pavani, Sphodromantis aureoides, Stenopyga extera, Tarachodes gerstaeckeri) are obtained for the first time. Addition- ally, two barcodes were obtained for species closely resembling those not currently represented in public databases (Plistospilota validissima and Cataspilota guineensis), whose precise identi- fication is currently impossible due to the taxonomic state of the respective genera. Discussion The data obtained during this work provide new insights into our knowledge of the diversity of praying mantids in Mbalmayo region and by extension in Cameroon. Previous studies of Roy [20] and Moulin [21] covered collecting efforts in Gabon of several decades, since 1962, resulting in 112 valid species. In contrast, present study is based on two main collecting events in 2021 and 2022 with just few specimens collected at the same site in 2015 and 2018 and yielded 62 species–more than half of 35 years’ worth of inventory of Gabon fauna. Tedrow et al. [22] reported results of two surveys in four localities in Rwanda, obtaining 41 species. Moulin et al. [23] also report of long-term collecting efforts in CAR, mentioning in their list 71 species, while also providing 94 COI barcodes of African Mantodea for the first time. However, not all species from taxonomic list were selected for DNA extraction, as the authors chose to focus only on southwest area of the country (N. Moulin, pers. comm.), as a result, only 41 spe-

cies were sequenced. Our study produced 72 sequences and included all species mentioned in checklist, with eight described species receiving a DNA barcode for the first time and five addi- tional are of species likely new to science. Continuous efforts in Cameroon, especially in north- ern areas in savannah biomes will undoubtably bring country’s checklist on par with neighboring Gabon, as well as help obtain more unique DNA barcodes. Our research supports the comments of Moulin et al. [23] on genus Plistospilota, taxonomi- cally complicated genus from the tribe Polispilotini, with original descriptions of the species within this genus are mostly too brief, which makes morphological species identification diffi- cult. At the same time, barcoding seems to clearly separate and group samples into distinct clusters in both Moulin et al. and our own analysis. Molecular phylogeny can become a valu- able tool in aiding traditional taxonomical methods in revising this taxon, which it desperately needs. Several collected specimens of Mantodea were not identified to species level. Three males and ten females of the genus Negromantis were found to be morphologically closely related to Negromantis modesta Giglio-Tos, 1915 but they differed from the original description of the species in number of posteroventral spines on the forefemora. Barcodes obtained from these specimens did not match with any entry in GenBank or BOLD. Considerable differences in barcodes should be evaluated by examining the type material of the genus.

During identification of a specimen of genus Galepsus, it was found to have unique genital morphology. While the structure of head vertex fits the diagnosis of the nominative subgenus, none of the species with described copulatory organs possess the same genitalia. Based on external morphology and coloration, this specimen is related to Galepsus (Galepsus) laticeps Werner, 1907 but has distinct genitalia. Available sequences of G. (Galepsus) laticeps and G. (Syngalepsus) bucheti Moulin, 2018 differ significantly from this sample, with distance being 54.5% and 63.9% respectively. This specimen likely represents a species new to science, how- ever, examination of type material of the species of this subgenus is required. Several collected specimens of genus Sphodromantis resembled quite closely a described taxon, Sphodromantis lineola pinguis La Greca, 1967. They have same body shape, spination of the forelegs and very similar structure of genitalia in males. At the same time, these specimens differed in larger body size and most noticeably, pigmented spots on forefemora. Such PLOS ONE Diversity of praying mantises in Cameroon PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304163 May 23, 2024 19 / 23