Eremiaphilidae

(Redirected from Iridinae)

Eremiaphilidae is a small Old World family of praying mantids, based on the type genus Eremiaphila. As part of a major revision of mantid taxonomy,[1] this family now contains the subfamily Tarachodinae, which includes tribes and genera previously placed in the now obsolete Tarachodidae.

Eremiaphilidae
Heteronutarsus aegyptiacus at Wadi Elrayan
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Superorder: Dictyoptera
Order: Mantodea
Family: Eremiaphilidae
Wood-Mason, 1889

The new placement means that this taxon is characteristic of the superfamily Eremiaphiloidea (of group Cernomantodea) and infraorder Schizomantodea. Genera in this family have been recorded from: Africa and Asia.[2]

Subfamilies, tribes and selected genera

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The Mantodea Species File lists four subfamilies:[2]

Eremiaphilinae

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Species in this small, original subfamily are frequently wingless or brachypterous, and commonly encountered in desert environments, from Egypt to temperate Asia. Their coloration often matches that of the sand or rocks in the habitat.

Iridinae

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Parathespinae

Tarachodinae

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Tarachodes sp.
tribe Oxyelaeini
tribe Tarachodini

References

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