Anastatus (Anastatus) gastropachae Ashmead, 1904

Fig. 14

Anastatus gastropachae Ashmead, 1904: 153–154 . Described: female.

Anastatus bifasciatus (Geoffroy); Ishii, 1938: 98–99 (incorrect synonymy).

Anastatus gastropachae; Kalina, 1981: 16, fig. 41; Sheng and Yu, 1998: 6, 8; Yang et al., 2015b: 161, 255, fig. 83.

Anastatus huangi Sheng and Yu, 1998: 5–7, 8 (English abstract), fig. 2(1–5). Described: both sexes. New synonymy. Anastatus huangi; Peng et al., 2017: 14–16, figs 28–33 (redescription).

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Brachypterous with fore wing extending only to about middle of gaster (Figs 14A, B), similar in length to metatibia (Fig. 14A), and with apical margin rounded (Figs 14H, I); discal region infuscate with uniformly brown setae or with region of slightly paler, more orangish setae (Figs 14H, I) basal to variably wide and conspicuous but complete hyaline cross band, the cross band usually with white setae (Fig. 14H) but rarely with dark setae (Fig. 14I) and then cross band much less obvious (see further under Remarks); marginal venation either without evident stigmal or postmarginal veins or with stigmal vein appressed against short postmarginal vein (Fig. 14H) such that venation appears slightly clavate apically; basal region with basal cell, mediocubital fold and cubital area uniformly setose with white setae (Figs 14H, I). Head (Fig. 14C) with scrobal depression distinctly separated from anterior ocellus, by distance equal to about 1.0–1.5× longitudinal diameter of ocellus.Antenna (Fig. 14D) with fl2 as long as or slightly longer than pedicel but not all funiculars longer than wide, with at least apical funicular quadrate to slightly transverse (Fig. 14D, insert). Mesosoma (Figs 14E, F) with pronotum (except sometimes medially), prepectus, tegula, and mesoscutal lateral lobes at least laterally pale (Fig. 14E), and procoxa and acropleuron posteriorly variably extensively similarly pale (Fig. 14F) or if brown then not as dark as mesoscutum and scutellar-axillar complex, the latter also at least partly with metallic green luster (Fig. 14E); mesotibial apical spur pale; mesotarsus with all tarsomeres pale (Fig. 14G). Mesoscutum (Fig. 14E) with convex anterior part of medial lobe entirely punctate-reticulate; with posterior concave part of mesoscutum almost entirely setose with white setae; mesoscutal lateral lobe with bare, minutely mesh-like-coriaceous band anterior of posteromedian carina relative to more oblique, coriaceous-alutaceous sculpture on outer inclined surface (Fig. 14E). Profemur with ventral margin evenly curved, without distinct angulation or tooth apically (cf. Fig. 1H).

MALE. Described under A. huangi by Sheng and Yu (1998), but not redescribed here because of the lack of available material (see further under Remarks).

Species concept. Our concept of A. gastropachae is based on the USNM imaged syntype labelled “49 / Type | No. 7169 | U.S. N.M. / Anastatus | gastropachae | ♀ Ashm / USNM ENT | 00802992”. Images of this syntype female are available at: www.usnmhymtypes.com/default.asp?Action=Show_Types&Single_Type=True&TypeID=3505. Our concept is based also on numerous non-regional females from Japan and South Korea in the CNC.

Our concept of A. huangi is based on the single remaining female of the type series, from Jiangxi province, that was interpreted as the holotype by Peng et al. (2017).

Regional records. Reported previously from the Chinese provinces of Zhejiang (Chu and Hsia 1935), Hunan (Yang et al. 2015b), and Taiwan by Yie and Hsu (1967).

Regional material examined. Fujian: Guilong Mountains, Changting County, 27.VI.2012, L. Peng (3♀ FAFU). Jiangshi, Shaowu County, 340 m, 10.IV.2015, L. Peng (1♀ FAFU). Hunan: Dayong, 1.V.1988, Z. Yang, ex. Dendrolimus houi (4♀ CAF). Taiwan: Kenting National Park, Pingtung, 210 m, 17–23.V.1991, C.K. Starr and S.M. Wu (1♀ CNC). Zhejiang: Tianmu Mountains, Malaise trap, 19.V.2015 (1♀ FAFU).

Distribution. ORIENTAL: China (* Fujian, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Taiwan). PALAEARCTIC: Japan (Ashmead 1904), South Korea (Paik 1978).

Hosts. HEMIPTERA . Pentatomidae: Halyomorpha halys (Arakawa and Namura 2002) . LEPIDOPTERA . Lasiocampidae: Dendrolimus houi Lajonquière, 1979 (Yang et al. 2015b), D. kikuchii (Sheng and Yu 1998), D. punctatus (Chu and Hsia 1935; Hirose 1969; Sheng and Yu 1998; Sun and Liu 1958; Yang et al. 2015b; Yie and Hsu 1967), and D. spectabilis; Gastropacha sp. (Ashmead 1904).

Remarks. Anastatus gastropachae is one of four species known from China with short-winged females. They are most similar to those of A. meilingensis, as is discussed under the latter species. We saw only a single female from Taiwan (CNC), which differs from females seen from mainland China, Japan, and South Korea by having the procoxa and acropleuron somewhat darker, more uniformly brown, and a fore wing with a comparatively narrow hyaline cross band (Fig. 14I). Because of the dark setae within the cross band the cross band is much less obvious than for other females (Figs 14H, I). We presently interpret the differences as intraspecific variation, but additional females from Taiwan are necessary to determine whether the differences are constant for Taiwanese females and indicate a separate species.

The exact distribution and host range for A. gastropachae is questionable because Ishii (1938) erroneously synonymised the name under A. bifasciatus, believing that A. bifasciatus included both macropterous and brachypterous females. Noyes (2019) included all records of A. gastropachae under A. bifasciatus, but this is incorrect and not only do females of the two species differ in wing development and setal pattern, but also conspicuously in sculpture of the mesoscutal medial lobe and mesosomal colour pattern, as we describe in the respective species diagnoses and illustrate. Kalina (1981) recognised A. gastropachae as separate from A. bifasciatus and its presence in Japan (e.g., Hirose 1969) and China (e.g., Sun and Liu 1958; Yie and Hsu 1967) as a parasitoid of D. punctatus was recorded by authors after the proposed synonymy of Ishii (1938) and prior to A. huangi being described from the same host by Sheng and Yu (1998).