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Genus Leptomantispa

Mantidfly - Leptomantispa pulchella Leptomantispa pulchella Mantidfly - Leptomantispa pulchella Leptomantispa pulchella? - Leptomantispa pulchella mantispid - Leptomantispa pulchella Mantis fly - Leptomantispa pulchella Leptomantispa pulchella Mantidfly  - Leptomantispa pulchella
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Neuroptera (Antlions, Lacewings, and Allies)
Suborder Hemerobiiformia (Lacewings and Allies)
Family Mantispidae (Mantid Lacewings)
Subfamily Mantispinae
Genus Leptomantispa
Explanation of Names
Leptomantispa Hoffman, 2002
from the Latin leptō from the Ancient Greek λεπτός ('slender, thin') + mantispa (referring to mantidfly genera)
from the genus Mantispa, derived from the genus Mantis + the Latin pāgāna‎ ('area outside of a city or countryside')
from the Ancient Greek μάντις (mantis) meaning 'soothsayer' (referring to the raptorial forelegs, which were thought to resemble hands held in prayer)
Numbers
A single species in our area(1); 9 spp. worldwide(2)(Machado & Rafael 2007)
Identification
Characters of the genus(3):
Numerous fine setae visible in lateral view on the dorsal surface of the pronotum
Pterostigma Forming >40° angle with end of RA (=anterior radial vein)
Body with yellow and brown tones
Pronotum smooth (no appreciable transverse ridges), with short setae distributed uniformly throughout its entire length(4):

L. pulchella is easily mistaken for Dicromantispa (and vice versa); differences are very hard to see in most images. In Dicromantispa, pronotum has evident transverse ridges(4) and very inconspicuous setae (small patches of very short, fine hairs at each end + at most very sparse ones in between). Wing venation is conspicuously simpler than in Dicromantispa.

Range
New World (Canada to Argentina)(5)(3)(4)(6)
Print References
Hoffman K.M., Hamilton S.W. (1988) First record of a mantispine larva (Neuroptera: Mantispidae) associated with an adult caddisfly (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae). Ent. News 99(3): 161-163. (Full text)
Works Cited
1.Species catalog of the Neuroptera, Megaloptera, and Raphidioptera of America North of Mexico
Penny N.D., Adams P.A., Stange L.A. 1997. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 50: 39‒114.
2.Lacewing Digital Library
3.Family Mantispidae. In: Penny N.D., ed. A guide to the lacewings (Neuroptera) of Costa Rica
Kevin M. Hoffman. 2002. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 53(12): 251-275.
4.The Mantispidae (Insecta: Neuroptera) of Canada, with notes on morphology, ecology, and distribution
Cannings R.A., Cannings S.G. 2006. Can. Entomologist 138: 531-544.
5.Mantispidae (Neuroptera) of Mexico: distribution and key to genera
Reynoso-Velasco D., Contreras-Ramos A. 2008. Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 101: 703-712.
6.Systematics of the Mantispinae (Neuroptera: Mantispidae) of North, Central and South America
Kevin M. Hoffman. 1992. University Microfilms International.