Anastelgis Townes, 1960

Khalaim, Andrey I. & Ruíz-Cancino, Enrique, 2022, Darwin wasps of the subfamily Pimplinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Mexico: Ephialtes genus-group, Zootaxa 5169 (3), pp. 201-251 : 205-206

Genus Anastelgis Townes, 1960

Anastelgis Townes in Townes & Townes 1960: 109.

Type species: Anastelgis terminalis Townes, 1960 , by original designation.

References. Townes & Townes 1966: 12 [catalogue; 1 species in Neotropical region]. Townes 1969: 80 [description; distribution]. Carlson 1979: 328 [catalogue; 1 species in America north of Mexico]. Gauld 1991: 197 [description; review of 3 species (all described as new) from Costa Rica; key]. Gauld et al. 1998: 22 [5 species (2 described as new) in Costa Rica]. Gauld et al. 2002: 34 [1 new species from El Salvador]. Ruíz-Cancino et al. 2002: 645 [checklist; 1 species in Mexico].

Anastelgis is a small New World genus comprising eight species: one species, A. terminalis Townes , occurs in the western USA, six species occur in Central America and one species in known from South America . Gauld (1991) mentioned about seven undescribed species from Central and South Americas. Three species of Anastelgis , including one undescribed species, are found to occur in Mexico.

The biology of the genus is unknown.

Key to species of Anastelgis occurring in Mexico

1. All coxae white. El Salvador (not recorded from Mexico)................................ A. imposibilita Gauld et al.

- At least hind coxa reddish brown........................................................................ 2

2. Mesosoma orange-brown with black markings on pronotum, mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum; tegula white. Submetapleural carina centrally weak, in lateral view appears to be discontinuous. Mandible with upper tooth pointed, more or less equal to the lower tooth. Female with tergite 3 subquadrate, 1.0–1.1× as long as maximally broad... 3. A. marini Gauld

- Mesosoma entirely orange-brown ( Fig. 5 ); tegula various. Submetapleural carina complete, quite distinct. Upper tooth of mandible blunt, much broader than the lower tooth. Female with tergite 3 distinctly elongate, 1.2–1.5× as long as maximally broad ( Fig. 6 )........................................................................................ 3

3. Tergite 2 of metasoma centrally virtually impunctate, at most with very few scattered isolated punctures ( Fig. 6 ). Tegula orangebrown. Metasoma blackish with blueish purple reflection ( Figs 4, 6 ). Female with fore and mid coxae orange-brown ( Fig. 5 ).................................................................................... 2. A. garciai Gauld

- Tergite 2 of metasoma centrally distinctly and densely punctate. Tegula white anteriorly and black posteriorly. Metasoma orange-brown, tergites 2–5 with posterolateral black markings. Female with fore and mid coxae white................................................................................................. 1. A. chiapasana sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Acropimpla tequila sp. nov., holotype, ♀: 1—apex of fore wing; 2—areolet; 3—apex of ovipositor, lateral. Anastelgis garciai, ♀ (Veracruz): 4—habitus, lateral; 5—head and mesosoma, lateral; 6—base of metasoma, dorsolateral; 7— apex of ovipositor, lateral.