Anatomical organization of the cerebrum of the praying mantis Hierodula membranacea.

Many predatory animals, such as the praying mantis, use vision for prey detection and capture. Mantises are known in particular for their capability to estimate distances to prey by stereoscopic vision. While the initial visual processing centers have been extensively documented, we lack knowledge on the architecture of central brain regions, pivotal for sensory motor transformation and higher brain functions. To close this gap, we provide a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the central brain of the Asian mantis, Hierodula membranacea. The atlas facilitates in-depth analysis of neuron ramification regions and aides in elucidating potential neuronal pathways. We integrated seven 3D-reconstructed visual interneurons into the atlas. In total, 42 distinct neuropils of the cerebrum were reconstructed based on synapsin-immunolabeled whole-mount brains. Backfills from the antenna and maxillary palps, as well as immunolabeling of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), further substantiate the identification and boundaries of brain areas. The composition and internal organization of the neuropils were compared to the anatomical organization of the brain of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and the two available brain atlases of Polyneoptera-the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) and the Madeira cockroach (Rhyparobia maderae). This study paves the way for detailed analyses of neuronal circuitry and promotes cross-species brain comparisons. We discuss differences in brain organization between holometabolous and polyneopteran insects. Identification of ramification sites of the visual neurons integrated into the atlas supports previous claims about homologous structures in the optic lobes of flies and mantises.

Chemical defense acquired via pharmacophagy can lead to protection from predation for conspecifics in a sawfly.

Chemical defense is a widespread anti-predator strategy exhibited by organisms, with individuals either synthesizing or extrinsically acquiring defensive chemicals. In some species, such defences can also be transferred among conspecifics. Here, we tested the effects of pharmacophagy on the defense capability of the turnip sawfly, Athalia rosae, which can acquire neo-clerodane diterpenoids (clerodanoids) via pharmacophagy when having access to the plant Ajuga reptans. We show that clerodanoid access mediates protection against predation by mantids for the sawflies, both in a no-choice feeding assay and a microcosm setup. Even indirect access to clerodanoids, via nibbling on conspecifics that had access to the plant, resulted in protection against predation albeit to a lower degree than direct access. Furthermore, sawflies that had no direct access to clerodanoids were consumed less frequently by mantids when they were grouped with conspecifics that had direct access. Most, but not all, of such initially undefended sawflies could acquire clerodanoids from conspecifics that had direct access to the plant, although in low quantities. Together our results demonstrate that clerodanoids serve as a chemical defense that can also be transferred by interactions among conspecifics. Moreover, the presence of chemically defended individuals in a group can confer protection onto conspecifics that had no direct access to clerodanoids.

Species delimitation of the praying mantis emHierodula/em empatellifera/em (Audinet-Serville) based on morphological and molecular characters (Mantodea: Mantidae).

An integrative taxonomic analysis of Hierodula patellifera (Audinet-Serville) is presented based on morphological and molecular characters (COI, 28S rDNA). During repeated trips to the Korean peninsula, we collected unusual specimens from Wanju-gun. They were similar to H. patellifera, but can be distinguished by a larger body size, the number and shape of spines on foreleg, and the shape of male genitalia. To examine the phenotypes and delimit H. patellifera from fourteen sampled populations, we used forecoxal spines and male genitalia as key morphological characters, as well as molecular data including gene tree monophyly and genetic divergence data. The molecular analyses (p-distance, neighbor-joining, and parsimony analyses) did not separate the specimens as two distinct species. The diagnostic characters of H. patellifera are illustrated with habitus images.

Mantidis Oötheca (mantis egg case) original species identification via morphological analysis and DNA barcoding.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Mantidis Oötheca (mantis egg case; sangpiaoxiao) is a medicine from an insect source, which has been widely used in Asian countries. However, misidentification due to a lack of information given variations in the medicinal portion of the ootheca and morphological similarities of the ootheca as an egg chamber. AIM OF THE STUDY: Thus, this study aims to provide the first comprehensive data for discriminating authentic of Mantidis Oötheca. Here, we provide detailed ootheca morphology and their molecular information to accurately identify Mantidis Oötheca. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oothecae of Tenodera angustipennis (Saussure, 1869), Tenodera sinensis (Saussure, 1871), Hierodula patellifera Serville, 1839, and Hierodula sp. were used in the comparative morphological, principal component analysis, and DNA barcoding. RESULTS: The morphological analyses revealed that the emergence area, outline, angle of distal end, width of air-filled layer, and weight are useful diagnostic characters. Using these quantitative and qualitative characteristics, we developed the effective identification key. Furthermore, our CO1 sequences from all individuals were monophyletic with high bootstrap values at genus and species levels. Moreover, morphological identification using our developed key among all studied individuals agreed with molecular identification results using CO1 barcoding data. CONCLUSIONS: These multilateral approaches, including morphological, statistical, and DNA barcoding methods are highly reliable identification tools. Moreover, our diagnostic key characteristics and molecular barcoding should aid in the accurate identification, authentication, and quality control of Mantidis Oötheca medicinal materials.

Mitochondrial genome of one kind of giant Asian mantis, Hierodula formosana (Mantodea: Mantidae).

The giant Asian mantis Hierodula formosana (Mantodea: Mantidae) is widely distributed in Taiwan. In the present study, we investigated the complete mitochondrial genome of H. formosana and the mitogenome is 16 266 bp in length. The circular molecule consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and a non-coding control region, with an AT content of 75.8%. An extra non-coding region is inserted between trnM and ND2, similar to the other Mantidae species T. tamolana. A preliminary phylogenetic analysis has been carried out with 11 related species and the status of Hierodula formosana is further confirmed.