Anchista Nietner, 1856

Shi, Hongliang, Zhou, Hongzhang & Liang, Hongbin, 2013, Taxonomic synopsis of the subtribe Physoderina (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini), with species revisions of eight genera, ZooKeys 284, pp. 1-129 : 20-22

Genus Anchista Nietner, 1856

Anchista Nietner 1856: 523; Nietner 1857: 374 (redundant publication); Chaudoir 1877: 236 (in part); Csiki 1932: 1455 (catalogue); Jedlička 1963: 449 (in part; key to species); Habu 1967: 137 (in part); Habu 1982: 102 (in part); Kirschenhofer 1994: 1006 (in part; key to species).

Type-species:

Anchista modesta Nietner, 1856 [= Anchista brunnea (Wiedemann)], by monotypy.

Diagnosis.

Mandibles moderately widened ( Fig. 149 ); pronotum with lateral margins slightly angulate in middle ( Fig. 154 ), mid-lateral setae present; elytral 5th interval with one to four setigerous pores near base; terminal sternum of males moderately emarginate, with one pair of setae; median lobe of aedeagus usually strongly setose around apical orifice, internal sac without flagellum.

This genus is most closely related to Paraphaea Bates and Metallanchista gen. n. Comparison of these genera is presented in the key to genera and in the diagnosis of Paraphaea and Metallanchista .

Generic characters.

Dorsal side generally reddish brown to dark brown; elytra unicolored or bicolored. Head glabrous or sparsely pubescent; eyes hemispherical and strongly prominent; tempora shorter than half length of eyes, strongly narrowed behind eyes; vertex flat. Antennae extended to elytral base; 1st antennomere gradually narrowed to base, 3rd slightly longer than 4th. Labrum smooth, without secondary setae; mandibles moderately widened, outer margin nearly straight ( Fig. 149 ), glabrous on outer scrobe and dorsal ridge; terminal maxillary palpomeres fusiform in both sexes; terminal labial palpomeres strongly securiform, apex truncate in males, less widened in females; ligula with apex slightly projected, with four long setae; paraglossae membranous, not longer than ligula, adnate; mentum tooth simple, with two setae near base; submentum with two long setae; genae glabrous or sparsely pubescent beneath eyes. Pronotum slightly wider than head, disc glabrous or pubescent; mid-lateral setae present; front angles more or less setose, hind angles generally with a few additional short setae; pronotal base briefly but distinctly lobed; lateral margins slightly angulate in middle ( Fig. 154 ), distinctly sinuate before hind angles; hind angles sharp, rectangular or nearly so. Elytra wide, apex truncate, sutural angles not projected, outer angles evenly rounded; laterally slightly depressed in basal one-third, disc with an indistinct depression near basal two-fifths; umbilical pores of 9th interval placed in one row ( Fig. 147 ); basal margination nearly complete or only reaching to 3rd interval; basal pores well developed; 3rd interval with two to four primary setigerous pores, 5th interval with one to four primary setigerous pores near base; elytra glabrous or pubescent; 7th and 8th intervals slightly tumid near apex. Ventral side nearly glabrous; males with apex of terminal sternum moderately emarginate, with one pair of setae; females with apex of terminal sternum straight or slightly emarginate, with two pairs of setae. Legs short; protibiae with cleaning spur well developed, quite distant from inner margin; tarsi widened, 4th tarsomere bifid, claws pectinate; males with adhesive hairs well developed (two whole rows) on 1st to 3rd protarsomeres; well developed or rudimentary (two rows but very weakly present near apex) on first three mesotarsomeres; absent on metatarsomeres. Male genitalia with median lobe of aedeagus nearly straight, not twisted; apical orifice opened dorsally, basal margin of apical orifice setose or glabrous; internal sac without flagellum or apical bursa, with weakly sclerotized sclerites and spined areas on internal sac. Female genitalia. Spermatheca tubular, not bent, with indistinct ring-sculpture, inserted on bursa copulatrix; spermathecal gland slender and long, inserted near apex of spermatheca. Apical segment of ovipositor scimitar-form, curved to outer side, inner margin slightly angulate near apex; with fine fluff near apex; apex with elongate membranous extension.

Distribution

( Map 3 ). This genus includes four species. Anchista pilosa is known only from the type locality (Bangalore, south India). The other three species are found in many localities in Indian Subcontinent, with Anchista fenestrata also occurring in Myanmar.

Monophyly and relationships.

The relationship between Anchista and Paraphaea is discussed under Paraphaea . The monophyly of Anchista is suggested by the following apomorphic character states: (1) pronotum slightly angulate in middle; (2) median lobe of aedeagus with main flagellum reduced, usually setose around apical orifice; (3) spermathecal gland inserted near apex of spermatheca.

Taxonomic comments.

Based on setose aedeagal apical orifice and mandibles moderately widened, Anchista could be closely related to Paraphaea Bates, although they have a different aedeagal internal sac, male secondary sexual character and distribution center. Anchista , together with Metallanchista gen. n., is unique in Physoderina in having an aedeagal internal sac without flagellum. The slightly sclerotized area near the median lobe base shows a reduced trumpet-form expansion ( Fig. 71 ), so we believe these three genera are closely allied.

Key to species of Anchista Nietner

1	Dorsal side evenly pubescent on most areas	2
-	Dorsal side glabrous	3
2	Basal margination of elytra only extended to 3rd interval; males with adhesive hairs well developed (two whole rows) on 1st mesotarsomere; median lobe of aedeagus with apical orifice glabrous. South India	Anchista pilosa sp. n.
-	Basal margination of elytra nearly complete; males with adhesive hairs rudimentary (weakly present near apex) on 1st mesotarsomere; median lobe of aedeagus with long setae around apical orifice; northern India and Pakistan	Anchista fenestrata subpubescens Chaudoir
3	Third interval with two setigerous pores; 5th interval with one setigerous pore near base	Anchista brunnea (Wiedemann)
-	Third interval with three or more setigerous pores; 5th interval with two or more setigerous pores near base	4
4	Pronotum distinctly angulate in middle; front angles with very short setae; elytra uniform reddish brown, sometimes with disc slightly paler, but not forming distinct pattern; males with adhesive hairs well developed (two whole rows) on 2nd and 3rd mesotarsomeres	Anchista nubila Andrewes
-	Pronotum slightly angulate in middle; front angles with long setae; elytra usually with distinct bicolored pattern; males with adhesive hairs rudimentary (weakly present near apex) on 2nd and 3rd mesotarsomeres	Anchista fenestrata fenestrata ( Schmidt-Göbel)

Figures

Map 3. Known distribution of genus Anchista: ◆ Anchista brunnea (Wiedemann) ★ Anchista nubila Andrewes ● Anchista pilosa sp. n. △ Anchista fenestrata fenestrata (Schmidt-Goebel) ▼ Anchista fenestrata subpubescens Chaudoir.

Figure 71. Median lobe of male genitalia, right-lateral, ventral, left-lateral, dorsal views of Anchista fenestrata fenestrata (Schmidt-Goebel), a specimen from Chota Nagpore.

Figures 138 - 157. Characters of Physoderina. 138 - 139 Internal reproductive system of females, scale bars = 0.2 mm: 138 Dasiosoma quadraticolle sp. n., a paratype from Yunnan 139 Orionella lewisii (Bates), a specimen from Zhejiang. 140 - 142 Right protibia, ventral view, showing the reduction of cleaning spur, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 140 Allocota aurata (Bates) (cleaning spur absent) 141 Allocota bicolor sp. n. (cleaning spur fine) 142 Diamella cupreomicans (Oberthuer) (cleaning spur well developed). 143 - 146 Terminal sternum, showing the setae and male emargination, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 143 Paraphaea binotata (Dejean), male (deeply emarginate, one seta on each side) 144 Paraphaea binotata (Dejean) (straight, two setae on each side), female 145 Allocota aurata (Bates), male (moderately emarginate, two setae on each side) 146 Allocota aurata (Bates), female (straight, two setae on each side, right side unusually with an additional seta). 147 - 148 Umbilical series of 9 th interval, right elytron, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 147 Paraphaea binotata (Dejean) (umbilical series placed in one row) 148 Metallanchista laticollis sp. n. (umbilical series placed in two rows). 149 - 150 Head, showing the different shape of mandibles, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 149 Paraphaea formosana (Jedlicka) (mandibles moderately widen) 150 Allocota bicolor sp. n. (mandibles strongly widen). 151 - 153 Pronotum, showing the different length of setae on front angle, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 151 Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky, (setae short and fine) 152 Allocota cyanipennis Heller, (setae relative long) 153 Allocota bicolor sp. n., (setae very long). 154 - 155 Pronotum, showing the difference on lateral margin, scale bars = 0.5 mm: 154 Anchista fenestrata fenestrata (Schmidt-Goebel), (lateral margin slightly angulated in middle) 155 Paraphaea formosana (Jedlicka), (lateral margin completely rounded in middle). 156 - 157 Pronotal hind angle, showing the geographical variation in Allocota bicolor sp. n., scale bars = 0.2 mm: 156 Allocota bicolor sp. n., a specimen from Guangdong, (hind angle sharp) 157 Allocota bicolor sp. n., holotype from Yunnan, (hind angle slightly rounded).