Habitat: Jamaica.
Head yellowish brown; the upper part terminating in a point like a strong spine. Antennæ strongly pectinated or combed, and about half the length of the thorax. Thorax long and slender, flat on the under side, and rounded at top. Tegmina very thin, green, and almost transparent; extending, when closed, beyond the abdomen. Wings green, transparent, towards the tips brownish, being near the same length as their cases. Abdomen about the length of the thorax, and near the extremity three times its breadth. Fore legs brownish yellow, with dark spots on them. Trochanters terminating in a thick spine; femora on the outer side furnished with two rows of spines, and a deep groove between them, which seems formed for receiving the tibiæ when closed up, like as the blade of a razor is received in the haft. Tibiæ furnished at the extremity with a strong spine, bending inwards, from whence the tarsi arise. Middle and hinder legs furnished with two spines at the tips of the tibiæ, and at the tips of the femora with one; having four small membranes almost joining to them.
This insect has been considered by all writers as identical with the Linnæan Mantis pectinicornis; but as that insect is described by Linnæus as an inhabitant of China, and the former as found in Jamaica, I have thought it more correct to restore the name of pectinicornis to the Linnæan insect, and give that figured by Drury another denomination.
EMPUSA GONGYLODES.
Plate [L]. fig. 2.
Order: Orthoptera. Section: Cursoria. Family: Mantidæ.
Genus. Empusa, Latr. Serv. Gongylus, Thunberg. Mantis, Fabr. Drury.
Empusa Gongylodes. Capite subulato, prothorace antice dilatato, trochanteribus anticis spinâ, femoribus quatuor posticis lobo terminatis. (Long. Corp. 3 unc. 4½ lin.)
Syn. Mantis Gongylodes, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1. 2. 690. 4. Stoll. Mant. t. 16. f. 58. 59. 61. Fabr. Ent. Syst. 2. 17. 17. Serville Revis. Orthopt. 21. Roesel. Ins. 2. Gryll. tab. 7.
Habitat: Madras (and Philadelphia, sed? Drury). Africa, Asia (Fabricius). East India (Serville).