Review of the genus Hierodula Burmeister (Mantodea: Mantidae) in Iran

The integrative evidence indicates that only <i>H. coarctata</i> and <i>H. tenuidentata</i> are currently valid <i>Hierodula</i> species in Iran, with <i>H. macrostigmata</i> as a junior synonym of <i>H. coarctata</i> and previous Iranian reports of <i>S. trimacula</i> rejected. The clear molecular separation between <i>H. coarctata</i> and the <i>H. tenuidentata</i> complex, combined with broad morphological variability in traits such as forefemoral spine coloration, underscores the need to abandon historically overemphasized colour characters and highlights the utility of COI barcoding in resolving conservative mantid lineages. Remaining uncertainty regarding the status of <i>H. transcaucasica</i> versus <i>H. tenuidentata</i> at a broader Eurasian scale calls for a forthcoming multi-locus, range-wide revision to formally resolve their taxonomy.