Chinaia Bruner & Metcalf, 1934

Chinaia Bruner & Metcalf 1934: 120; Evans 1947: 197 –198 (illustrations and citation); Kramer 1959: 23 –30 (redescription, key to males, removed species); 1964: 261, 264 (key, redescription, distribution); 1967: 46 (synonymy of species); Metcalf, 1964: 112 (catalogue); Oman et al., 1990: 199, 303 (catalogue); Chiamolera & Cavichioli 2002: 1161 –1167 (history, key to male species); Marques-Costa & Cavichioli, 2005: 1 –5 (history, redescription); 2009: 49–54 (history, synonym of species); 2012: 3–8, 10–19 (distribution, illustrations, cladistic analysis of Neocoelidiinae).

Type species: Chinaia bella Bruner & Metcalf, 1934 by original designation.

Total length. 5.2– 10 mm.

Diagnosis. Head with anterior margin broadly rounded, without transverse carina in transition between crown and frons (Figs 1, 3, 12, 13, 22, 31, 33); ocelli located slightly below transition margin between crown and frons (Figs 23, 13, 23, 32–33); clypeus with lateral margins apically divergent (Figs 2, 23, 32). Pronotum with posterior margin straight, not emarginated (Figs 1, 12, 22, 31); forewing thickened, opaque and colored on basal and middle thirds, always with contrasting stains in yellow, orange, red and/or brown tones, only apical third hyaline (Figs 4, 14, 24, 34); forewing venation obscure except claval suture and apical cells, with three apical cells (Figs 4, 14, 24, 34); hind wing with R4+5 and M1+2 divergent apically, not fused. Male genitalia: pygofer either with dorsal processes or elongated apex (Figs 5, 15, 25, 35); subgenital valve fused with subgenital plates, but with weak depigmented line between them; subgenital plates deep and scoop-shaped, fused only on basal third, sometimes with six or less setae close to inner margins (Figs 6, 16, 26, 36); styles with preapical lobe well developed and laterally projected (Figs 7–8, 17–18, 27–28, 37–38); connective cruciform, articulated to aedeagus (Figs 8, 18, 28, 38); aedeagus moderately straight or recurved, with or without lateral flaps or processes, and with apical gonopore (Figs 9–11, 19–21, 29–30, 39–40); anal tube simple and membranous, without processes (Figs 5, 15, 35).

Notes. Chinaia can be easily separated from the other genera of Neocoelidiinae by the general coloration of the crown, pronotum and mesonotum, yellow to orange with dark-orange to red stains and/or strips (Figs 41–47). The forewings are thickened and colored on the basal and middle thirds, always with contrasting stains in yellow, orange, red and/or brown tones, apical third hyaline (Figs 41–47). Besides the characters given above, the following combination of features also help to separate Chinaia from the other genera: (1) pygofer, in lateral view, approximately triangular, enlarged basally, narrowing gradually towards apex (Figs 5, 15, 25, 35); (2) valve fused to subgenital plates, with depigmented line between them (Figs 6, 16, 26, 36); and (3) connective cruciform (Figs 8, 18, 28, 38).