Mantophasmatidae

The most common vernacular name for this order is gladiators, although they also are called rock crawlers, heelwalkers, mantophasmids, and colloquially, mantos.^[6] Their modern centre of endemism is western South Africa and Namibia (Brandberg Massif),^[7] although the modern relict population of Tanzaniophasma subsolana in Tanzania and Eocene fossils suggest a wider ancient distribution.

Mantophasmatodea are wingless even as adults, making them difficult to identify. They resemble a cross between praying mantises and phasmids, and molecular evidence indicates that they are most closely related to the equally enigmatic group Grylloblattodea.^[3][4] Initially, the gladiators were described from old museum specimens that originally were found in Namibia (Mantophasma zephyra) and Tanzania (M. subsolana), and from a 45-million-year-old specimen of Baltic amber (Raptophasma kerneggeri).

Live specimens were found in Namibia by an international expedition in early 2002; Tyrannophasma gladiator was found on the Brandberg Massif, and Mantophasma zephyra was found on the Erongoberg Massif.^[8]

Since then, a number of new genera and species have been discovered, the most recent being two new genera, Kuboesphasma and Minutophasma, each with a single species, described from Richtersveld in South Africa in 2018.^[9]

Mantophasmatids are wingless carnivores. During courtship, they communicate using vibrations transmitted through the ground or substrate.^[10] Both males and females have one-segmented cerci.^[11] During copulation, the male uses his cerci to grasp the female after bending his flexible abdomen around her right side, and mating can last for up to three days.^[12]

The classification of Mantophasmatodea in Arillo & Engel (2006)^[5] recognizes numerous genera, including fossils, in a single family Mantophasmatidae:

• Basal and incertae sedis
  • Genus †Raptophasma Zompro, 2001 – Baltic amber, Eocene
  • Genus †Adicophasma Engel & Grimaldi, 2004 – Baltic amber, Eocene
  • Genus †Juramantophasma Huang et al, 2008^[13] – Daohugou Bed, China, Middle Jurassic (Callovian)
  • Genus ?†Ensiferophasma Zompro, 2005^[14] – Baltic amber, Eocene (assignment to Mantophasmatodea considered dubious)^{[note 1]}
• Subfamily Tanzaniophasmatinae Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003^{[note 2]}
  • Genus Tanzaniophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – Tanzania
    • Species Tanzaniophasma subsolana (Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, & Adis 2002)
• Subfamily Mantophasmatinae
  • Tribe Tyrannophasmatini Zompro, 2005^[14]
    • Genus Praedatophasma Zompro & Adis, 2002 – Namibia
      • Species Praedatophasma maraisi Zompro & Adis, 2002
    • Genus Tyrannophasma Zompro, 2003 – Namibia
      • Species Tyrannophasma gladiator Zompro, 2003
  • Tribe Mantophasmatini Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, Adis, 2002 (paraphyletic?)
    • Genus Mantophasma Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, Adis, 2002 – Namibia
      • Species Mantophasma gamsbergense Zompro & Adis, 2006
      • Species Mantophasma kudubergense Zompro & Adis, 2006
      • Species Mantophasma omatakoense Zompro & Adis, 2006
      • Species Mantophasma zephyra Zompro, Klass, Kristensen, & Adis 2002
    • Genus Pachyphasma Wipfler, Pohl, & Predel, 2012 – Namibia
      • Species Pachyphasma brandbergense Wipfler, Pohl, & Predel, 2012
    • Genus Sclerophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – Namibia
      • Species Sclerophasma paresisense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, & Tojo 2003
  • Tribe Austrophasmatini Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003^{[note 3]}
    • Genus Austrophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa
      • Species Austrophasma caledonense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
      • Species Austrophasma gansbaaiense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
      • Species Austrophasma rawsonvillense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
    • Genus Hemilobophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa
      • Species Hemilobophasma montaguense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
    • Genus Karoophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa
      • Species Karoophasma biedouwense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
      • Species Karoophasma botterkloofense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003
    • Genus Kuboesphasma Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018 – South Africa
      • Species Kuboesphasma compactum Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018
    • Genus Lobatophasma Damgaard, Klass, Picker & Buder, 2008 (formerly Lobophasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003) – South Africa
      • Species Lobatophasma redelinghuysense (Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort & Tojo, 2003)
    • Genus Minutophasma Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018 – South Africa
      • Species Minutophasma richtersveldense Wipfler, Theska & Predel, 2018
    • Genus Namaquaphasma Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003 – South Africa
      • Species Namaquaphasma ookiepense Klass, Picker, Damgaard, van Noort, Tojo, 2003
    • Genus Striatophasma Wipfler, Pohl & Predel, 2012 – Namibia
      • Species Striatophasma naukluftense Wipfler, Pohl & Predel, 2012
    • Genus Viridiphasma Eberhard, Picker, Klass, 2011^[15] – South Africa
      • Species Viridiphasma clanwilliamense Eberhard, Picker, Klass, 2011

Some taxonomists assign full family status to the subfamilies and tribes, and sub-ordinal status to the family. In total, there are 21 extant species described as of 2018.^[9]

• Oliver Zompro