Anastatus (Anastatus) meilingensis Sheng and Yu, 1998

Figs 18, 19

Anastatus (Anastatus) meilingensis Sheng and Yu, 1998: 5–6 (Chinese description), 8 (English abstract), fig. 1. Described: both sexes.

Anastatus meilingensis; Peng et al., 2017: 16–18, figs 34–40.

Anastatus (Anastatus) meilingensis; Chen et al., 2019: 128–130, fig. 6.

Diagnosis. Female. Brachypterous with fore wing extending only to about level of posterior margin of basal segment of gaster when body uncontorted (Fig. 18A), and apically angulate to truncate or slightly emarginate (Fig. 18F); discal region uniformly, densely setose with slightly lanceolate dark setae except for mesal region of orangish setae that at least extends to leading margin behind marginal venation but sometimes not to posterior margin so as to be enclosed by dark setae basally and apically and sometimes posteriorly (Fig. 18F); marginal venation orangish along region of orangish setae, without differentiated stigmal or postmarginal veins; basal region often bare except for dark setae partly along mediocubital fold and white setae posteriorly and apically within basal cell (Fig. 18F). Head (Fig. 18C) with scrobal depression separated from anterior ocellus by distance subequal in length to longitudinal diameter of ocellus. Antenna (Fig. 18H) with fl2 longer than pedicel but not all funiculars longer than wide, with at least apical funicular quadrate to slightly transverse (Fig. 18H, insert). Mesosoma with at least anterior convex part of medial lobe and often entire mesoscutum medially plus scutellar-axillar complex dark with greenish luster (Fig. 18D), but at least outer inclined surface of mesoscutal lateral lobe and sometimes inner inclined surface or even entire posterior concave part of mesoscutum pale along with pronotum, procoxa, prepectus, tegula, and acropleuron over at least about posterior two-thirds (Fig. 18E); mesotibial apical spur pale to variably strongly infuscate (Fig. 18G); mesotarsus with all tarsomeres pale in contrast to dark mesotarsal pegs (Fig. 18G). Mesoscutum (Fig. 18D) with anteromedial lobe uniformly punctate-reticulate; posterior concave part entirely setose with white setae; mesoscutal lateral lobe carinately margined to abruptly angulate for most of length but with bare, finely sculptured dorsolongitudinal band anteriorly (Fig. 18D). Profemur with ventral margin evenly curved, without distinct angulation or tooth apically (cf. Fig. 1H).

MALE. Antenna (Fig. 19F) with scape extensively yellow but dark dorsoapically; pedicel dark; flagellum uniformly dark such that multiporous plate sensilla not contrasting in colour with surrounding cuticle (Fig. 19F, insert), and consisting of clava and seven funiculars, with at least fl6 and fl7 obviously longer than wide, and clava distinctly shorter than combined length of fl6–fl8 (Fig. 19G). Head (Fig. 19 C) with frons mesh-like coriaceous to pustulate. Mesopleurosternum uniformly dark (Fig. 19B). Front leg with trochanter, trochantellus, tibia and tarsus pale, but femur extensively dark at least over posterior surface and sometimes mostly dark except apically; middle leg similar in colour to front leg but femur entirely or mostly much paler then metafemur, often darker brownishyellow than paler tibia, but dark brown only along length posteriorly or over dorsal and ventral surfaces posteriorly; hind leg with trochanter, trochantellus and tarsus pale, but femur mostly dark except apically, and metatibia with about basal half pale and apical half dark, though paler than respective femur (Fig. 19B). Fore wing (Fig. 19D) with costal cell dorsally setose along entire leading margin (Fig. 19E); basal cell uniformly setose with dark setae (Fig. 19E); disc with comparatively slender, oblique speculum (Fig. 19E: spc) sometimes partly obscured by underlying setae on ventral surface anteriorly and/or apically, and closed posteriorly by line of dark setae.

Species concept. Our concept of A. meilingensis is based on examination of the female holotype and three female paratypes (FAFU) from Jiangxi Province as detailed by Peng et al. (2017)

Regional records. Non-type material examined. Fujian: Yashu Mountains, Ninghua County, 5–13.VII.2017, L. Peng (1♀ FAFU). Gansu: Kang County, Longnan City, 23.I.2018, Y. Chen, ex. Caligula japonica egg, laboratory reared on Antherea pernyi (Guérin-Méneville) eggs (64♀, 42♂ CNC). Hainan: Wenchang, ex. Stauropus alternus (Walker, 1855), Z. Wu (4♀ IZCAS). Hunan: Anren, Chenzhou City, VIII.1973, ex. Dendrolimus, Z. Li (1♀ CAF). Jiangxi: Liantang, 6.VII.1956, ex. Dendrolimus, Zhang (1♀ IZCAS).

Distribution. ORIENTAL: China (* Fujian, * Hainan, Hunan, Jiangxi). PALAEARCTIC: China (Gangsu).

Hosts. LEPIDOPTERA . Lasiocampidae: * Dendrolimus kikuchii and D. punctatus . Notodontidae: * Stauropus alternus (Walker, 1835) . Saturniidae: Antheraea pernyi (factitious host) and Caligula japonica (Chen et al. 2019) .

Remarks. Anastatus meilingensis is one of four species known from China with short-winged females (Fig. 18F). Females are most similar to those of A. gastropachae, in part because of a similar mesoscutal colour pattern in which at least the outer inclined surfaces of the mesoscutal lateral lobes are pale along with most of the lateral surface of the mesosoma (cf. Figs 14E, 18D). The reduced fore wings of females of the two species also share strongly reduced stigmal and postmarginal veins and have similar fore wing colour patterns, though A. gastropachae females always have a complete hyaline cross band (Fig. 14H) even if sometimes covered with dark rather than white setae (Fig. 14I), whereas A. meilingensis females either lack or at most have only a very slender and inconspicuous remnant of a hyaline cross band (Fig. 18F: cbr). The fore wings of A. meilingensis females are also somewhat angulate to slightly emarginate apically (Fig. 18F) whereas they are evenly curved for A. gastropachae females (Figs 14H, I). We differentiate males of A. meilingensis from those of A. gansuensis and A. shichengensis by mesofemoral and metatibial colour pattern (see under further under latter two species).