International Journal of Contemporary Research and Review ISSN: 0976-4852 CrossRef DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15520/ijcrr/2016/7/12/93. Research Article Checklist of Global Distribution of Tarachodidae and Toxoderidae (Mantodea: Dictyoptera) Shveta Patel, Garima Singh and Rajendra Singh Department of Zoology, Deendayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, U.P Department of Zoology, Rajasthan University, Jaipur, Rajasthan Abstract: Background: The praying mantids (Mantodea: Dictyoptera) are predatory insects they play a very vital role in management of insect population in nature. Familywise distribution pattern of mantids of the world is not compiled so far. The work will help to solve some needs pertaining to studies on world mantids of these families, such as synonymic handling and distributions, as well as the lack of a complete and up-todate listing of the species. Materials & Methods: In preparing of this checklist, recent world literatures (published up to November, 2016) were scrutinized for synonymy of the species along with the information available at two websites (http://mantodea.speciesfile.org and http://www.gbif.org/species) accessed on 25 November, 2016. Results: The praying mantids are a group of over 2641 species of predatory insects (Order Mantodea: Superorder Dictyoptera) distributed in tropical and subtropical habitats of the world, from the rainforest to the desert ground. Currently, the order Mantodea comprises 16 families, out of which the global distribution of 2 families: Tarachodidae and Toxoderidae is provided in this compilation. The family Tarachodidae includes a broad assemblage of 31 genera and 247 species distributed in China, Tropical and subtropical Asia, Indomalaya, Tropical Africa, south-western Europe, and Neotropical USA. The family Toxoderidae is less speciose (14 genera, 61 species) and ecologically diversified lineage of praying mantids distributed in Indian subcontinents, Indonesia, Southwest Asia, Tropical Africa, Afghanistan, and Australia. Conclusion: The two families of Mantodea: Tarachodidae and Toxoderidae containing 308 species are mostly distributed in Tropical Africa, southwest and southeast Asia, southwest Europe, and Australia. Only 28 species belong to India. Keywords: Mantodea Tarachodidae, Toxoderidae, world distribution, praying mantis, checklist. Introduction: The praying mantids (Mantodea: Dictyoptera) are kitchen gardens in Europe and Neotropical predatory insects distributed worldwide from the countries. Most of the praying mantids are quite rainforest to the desert ground. There are 2641 large, colourful and more visible than most valid species/subspecies of mantids belonging to beneficial insects, they are fun to watch, and 427 genera, assigned to 16 families. They are children are fascinated to see a praying mantid mostly distributed in Central and northern part of grasping its prey. South America, tropical Africa and Australasia [1- Mantids were formerly placed along with stick 5]. Since all mantids are predatory, they play a insects (currently order Phasmatodea), very vital role in management of insect population cockroaches (currently order Blattodea) and rock in nature. They even feed the moth at night (most crawlers (currently order Grylloblattodea) in the moths are nocturnal) and are able to grasp flying order Orthoptera [8]. Later on, it was placed along mosquitoes and flies. However, they lack key with the cockroaches and termites (now order attributes of biocontrol agents [6], hence cannot Blattodea) into the order Dictyoptera, as suborder be used successfully in biological control Mantodea [8]. Recently, the ordinal rank of programme [7]. Moreover, mantids are purchased Dictyoptera was elevated to Superorder by growers to keep pest population down in encompassing cockroaches and termites (currently International Journal of Contemporary Research and Review, Vol. 7, Issue. 12, Page: 20256-20270 20256 2016-12-29. ISSN 0976-4852. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15520/ijcrr/2016/7/12/93. Order Blattodea), and mantids (currently Order Thespinae, and all were raised to family-rank by Mantodea) [9-11]. The suprageneric taxonomy of Ehrmann [18]. Mantodea was revised considerably in the recent In general, Tarachodidae may initially be years on the basis of molecular data [12-16]. identified by having slightly flattened habitus, The checklists of Mantodea of different flattened cerci and shortened meso- and countries/continents/ecozones are published in metathoracic legs. The head is comparatively recent past by several authors, but are scattered in large with respect to the often slender body. The literature. Familywise distribution pattern of males are mostly fully winged, while the females mantids of the world is not compiled so far. Very are often brachypterous [18-21]. Nearly all genera recently, Patel and Singh [1-2] and Patel et al. [3- are distributed in the Afrotropical and Oriental 5] provided the checklist of global distribution of regions, ranging from Africa to East Asia. Detail following 14 families of Mantodea comprising phylogenetic relationship between genera of the 382 genera and 2333 species/subspecies: family and detail morphology was described by Acanthopidae (14 genera, 96 species/subspecies), Wiedland [16]. In past, 40 genera were recognised Amorphoscelidae (15 genera, 95 in Tarachodidae [18, 22-27]. However, currently it species/subspecies), Chaeteessidae (1 genus, 6 comprises only 31 genera in two subfamilies, species), Empusidae (11 genera, 54 species), Caliridinae (6 genera and 23 species) and Eremiaphilidae (2 genera, 73 species), Tarachodinae (25 genera and 224 speciesc) [28]. Galinthiadidae (4 genera, 24 species), The Caliridinae are distributed in China [29], Hymenopodidae (34 genera, 238 species), Indomalaisan countries and tropical Africa [17, Iridopterygidae (47 genera, 136 species), 30-39]. The Tarachodinae, a highly speciose Liturgusidae (19 genera, 92 species), Mantidae group are widely distributed in tropical and (188 genera, 1261 species), Mantoidae (2 genera, subtropical Asia, Indomalaya, Tropical Africa, 12 species), Metallyticidae (1 genus, 5 species), south-western Europe and even in Neotropical Sibyllidae (3 genera, 17 species/subspecies), and USA. Only Iris Saussure, 1869 is reported to be Thespidae (41 genera and 224 species). In the distributed in the Neotropical region [18] but in present compilation, world distribution of 2 checklist of Neotropical mantids, none of the families Tarachodidae (31 genera, 247 species) species of Tarachodidae was listed [40], even in and Toxoderidae (14 genera, 61 species) are the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São presented. Paulo (MZSP), one of the largest collections Tarachodidae and Toxoderidae have traditionally representative of the Neotropical fauna, none of been included in Mantidae as subfamilies the specimen belong to Tarachodidae [41]. None (Tarachodinae and Toxoderinae) in the of the species of Tarachodidae is recorded in the classification of Beier [17] along with Australian region [18, 42-44]. Figure illustrates Liturgusinae, Iridopteryginae, Sibyllinae, the distribution of Tarachodidae in the world. Figure Global Distribution of Tarachodidae and Toxoderidae International Journal of Contemporary Research and Review, Vol. 7, Issue. 12, Page: 20256-20270 20257 2016-12-29. ISSN 0976-4852. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15520/ijcrr/2016/7/12/93. In India, 11 genera are reported in the family and 27 species distributed in Indomalaya, Tarachodidae : Aethalochroa Wood-Mason, 1877, Afghanistan, and Australia [37, 54-56, 60]. In his Caliris Giglio-Tos, 1915, Didymocorypha Wood- detailed revision of Toxoderini, Roy [54, 61] Mason, 1877, Dysaules Stål, 1877, presented an attempt to reconstruct the Leptomantella Burmeister,1838, phylogenetic relationships among the tribe. Figure Dysaulophthalma Stiewe,2009,Euthyphleps Wood illustrates the distribution of Tarachodidae in the -Mason, 1889, Iris Saussure, 1869, Oxyophthalma world. Saussure, 1861, Toxoderopsis Wood-Mason, 1889 In the present compilation, global distribution of and Toxomantis Giglio-Tos, 1914 [27, 45-53]. the aforesaid 2 families of Mantodea, i.e. The mantids of Toxoderidae are large and exhibit Tarachodidae and Toxoderidae are provided. The bizarrely shaped bodies [21, 45, 50, and 54]. The work will help to solve some needs pertaining to prothorax of most of the species is very long, studies on world mantids of these families, such as often being nearly half as long as the entire body. synonymic handling and distributions, as well as The metazona is laterally compressed and often the lack of a complete and up-todate listing of the carries a dorsal ridge. The detail morphological species. In preparing of this checklist, recent description of this group was provided by several world literatures (published up to November, authors [18, 20, 21, 54-58]. In this family, only 17 2016) were scrutinized for synonymy of the genera are assigned from the Afrotropical and species along with the information available at Oriental regions. However, currently only 14 two websites (http://mantodea.speciesfile.org and genera were validated under the group [28]. http://www.gbif.org/species) accessed on 25 Toxoderidae includes 3 subfamilies: November, 2016. Aethalochroaini, Calamothespini and Toxoderini. Outline Classification And Distribution Pattern The Aethalochroaini contains 3 genera and 16 species mainly distributed in Indian subcontinents, Due to continuous changes in the taxon Indonesia, Southwest Asia and East Africa [59]. nomenclature,