Meschia, Distant, 1910

Malipatil, M. B., Yeshwanth, H. M. & Kondorosy, Előd, 2021, Taxonomic position of Heissothignus and review of the species of Meschia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Meschiidae), Zootaxa 5032 (2), pp. 283-289 : 289

Key to the species of Meschia

1 Body and appendages, particularly pronotum and hemelytra uniformly pale ochraceous; antennal segment I more than twice as wide as segment II; antennal segment II with numerous long, bristly erect setae [ Australia]................................................................................................. Meschia barrowensis Malipatil, 2014

– Body and appendages, particularly pronotum, hemelytra, often also head,with at least some brownish markings but never uniformly pale ochraceous; antennal segment I less than twice as wide as segment II; antennal segments with short decumbent setae only ................................................................................................... 2

2 Abdominal terga III–VI without punctures; anterior margin of pronotum with distinct fuscous spots in middle [ China]............................................................................ Meschia zoui Gao & Malipatil, 2019

– Abdominal terga III–VI medially with punctures; anterior margin of pronotum without distinct fuscous spots in middle.... 3

3 Pronotum with three pairs of fuscous patches on posterior margin, these patches vaguely extending to almost entire length of pronotum but not reaching anterior margin [ Australia]............................ Meschia woodwardi Scudder, 1957

– Pronotum with fuscous markings of variable size, shape and intensity, often only on posterior margin (as irregularly shaped and spaced spots or patches, or these joined to form one variably shaped fuscous band covering almost entire width on posterior margin) ( Figs. 5 & 6 ), or irregular patches on most of pronotum ( Fig. 8 ), or with two ill-defined broad central longitudinal fasciae along entire length of pronotum ( Fig. 7 ) [ India]............................... Meschia pugnax Distant, 1910

Figures

FIGURES 5–8. Meschia pugnax Distant, 1910, habitus showing variations in colour markings: 5, male, Bengaluru (Karnataka); 6, male, Bengaluru (Karnataka); 7, male, Chikkaballapura (Karnataka); 8, male, Bengaluru (Karnataka). Mean body length of specimens in Figs 5–8 is 3.90 mm.