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course as r3 of Mantoida (fig. 49, 50). The right insertion of r3 is posterodorsal to stripe 

 4 (compare fig. 14 and 16, 19). In Eurycotis, however, the right insertion of r3 is 

 anteroventral to articulation A8 (compare fig. 74 and 80). Thus, homology is highly 

 improbable for the dividing lines 4 and A8. The dividing hne 4 is thus missing not only 

 in Mantoida but also in Eurycotis, and it is not a feature of the common ground-plan of 

 Blattaria and Mantodea but a derived feature of a Mantodean subgroup containing at least 

 Chaeteessa and Sphodromantis . 



The question remains whether the articulations A8 and A9, both missing in Mantodea, 

 could be elements of the common ground-plan of Blattaria and Mantodea. In Eurycotis, 

 AS, A9, and the sclerite bridge between RIG and RIH (behind membrane 17 in fig.77, 

 78) are assumed to be functionally correlated: The posterior part of the right phallomere 

 - composed of fda and pia - can perform a swinging or flapping movement, with A8 and 

 A9 defining the axis. During this movement the membrane 17 is folded and stretched 

 again, and the sclerite bridge may have the function to stabilise RIG and RIH against 

 each other. Muscle r3 (fig. 80) moves the flap posterolaterad; rl and r6 (and possibly s8 

 on the tre-tendon; fig. 79) pull it anteromediad. In Mantoida and Chaeteessa nothing 

 suggests that such a flap-mechanism has ever been present. Thus, from this functional 

 point of view, A8, A9, and the posterior bridge are probably derived features of Eurycotis 

 (and other Blattaria, see in 6.7.6.). However, this view is debatable: In the copulation of 

 Periplaneta the hla-hook has its function in the "initial seizing" and the flap-mechanism 

 in the "final holding". Since the copulation habits of Mantodea are derived, the flap- 

 mechanism could be in the same way completely obliterated as the hla-hook and some 

 correlated elements possibly are on the left side (compare in 6.4.2.). On the other hand, 

 the right phallomeres of Mantoida and Chaeteessa (fig. 28, 41) also seem to have the ability 

 to grasp (mainly by the pia- and pva-teeth), and the final holding could well have been 

 performed by other structures different from the flap-mechanism in the common ground- 

 plan of Blattaria and Mantodea. Thus, it is improbable but cannot be completely excluded 

 that A8, A9, and the posterior bridge are elements of the common ground-plan of Blattaria 

 and Mantodea. 



As a result, the articulations A8 and A9 separating the sclerites RIF, RIG, and RIH are 

 probably derived elements of Blattaria. The dividing line between RIE and RID 

 {Mantoida) as well as the dividing line 4 between RIA and RIB {Chaeteessa and 

 Sphodromantis) are certainly derived features of Mantodean subgroups. If these hypotheses 

 are true, 



18. Rl is an undivided sclerite in the common ground-plan of Blattaria and Mantodea. 



However, if A8 and A9 should prove to be elements of this ground-plan, Rl would 

 have to be regarded as tripartite - composed of RIF, RIG, and RIH like in Eurycotis. 

 (When Rl will subsequently be assumed to be undivided in this ground-plan, this 

 must be seen with these reservations in terms of A8 and A9). 



A further difference between Eurycotis (and some other Blattaria) and all Mantodea studied 

 is the presence or absence of the tre-tendon and muscle s8 and the different condition of 

 the muscles b4. 



