326 NEW TfiOPICAl. AMERICAN ORTHOPTERA 



MANTIDAE 



POGONOGASTER ^ new genus 



A member of the Miopteryginae, belonging to the oUgonycine 

 section, but in no way closely related to any of the known genera. 

 It is however, apparently, more nearly related to Harpagonyx, 

 Spanionyx and Thrinaconyx than to any of the other genera. 

 From all of these it may be distinguished by its truncate occiput, 

 which also lacks angulate juxta-ocular lobes; by the form of the 

 pronotum, which seen in lateral aspect is subsigmoid, recalling 

 the Old World genus Toxodera; by the tuberculate dorsum of the 

 pronotum; by the considerably developed triangular supra-coxal 

 expansions of the pronotum; by the abdomen having a medio- 

 dorsal series of foliaceous expansions and occasionally similar 

 lateral expansions, and by features of the cephalic tibial spine 

 formula. 



The genus is most aberrant in general form and appearance, 

 and would appear at first glance to have little in common with 

 the genera with which it is here associated. More careful study 

 shows, however, that the affinity of Pogonogaster is with the oU- 

 gonycine miopterygids. 



Description of the Genus. — (Female sex alone known.) Head 

 transverse; occiput straight, with rounded juxta-ocular elevations; 

 ocelli minute ( 9 ), in broad triangle; facial scutellum transverse; 

 eyes rounded. Pronotum elongate, siginoid in lateral view; 

 supra-coxal expansions decided, acute, sub-foliaceous; dorsal 

 surface bearing on the collar a median and a postmedian paired 

 tubercle or a single low swelling, on the shaft a pair of decided 

 tubercles mesad at the caudal margin: shaft with a distinct 

 median carina; all margins serrate or serrulate. Tegmina and 

 wings in adult ( 9 ) probably undeveloped or abbreviate. Abdo- 

 men with the dorsal segments ha^'ing the caudal margins devel- 

 oped mesad on the proximal segments into erect foliaceous 

 structures, which distad are expanded and the margins are 

 serrato-dentate, on the distal segments the structures are merely 

 projecting folds of the margin; lateral the dorsal segments may or 

 may not develop proximad a series of structures similar to the 

 median ones : venter of the abdomen with a series of median folds 

 of the caudal margins of the segments: supra-anal plate (9) 



^ From ircoyup beard, yavnjp belly. 



