The Neotropical Polymorphic Earless Praying Mantises

Book excerpt: Recent phylogenetic studies on evolutionary relationships within the Acanthopoidea, known as “polymorphic earless praying mantises,” revealed numerous issues with the taxonomic status and morphological boundaries of many genera and species within this superfamily. The authors of this monograph present a thorough morphological assessment based on museum specimens and reexamination of type material, aimed toward redefining the morphological delineation of all Acanthopoidea genera, verifying the generic identity of all nominal species within the superfamily, and establishing taxonomic and nomenclatural foundations for future revisionary studies of acanthopoid genera. Their work resulted in numerous modifications in the taxonomy of this lineage, including the description of a new genus.