Neanastatidae new status

Neanastatinae Kalina, 1984. Type genus: Neanastatus Girault, 1913.

Diagnosis.

Antenna with 8, or sometimes apparently 7 flagellomeres in Neanastatus, or with 11 in Lambdobregma Gibson. Eyes ventrally divergent. Clypeus without transverse subapical groove. Labrum hidden behind clypeus, flexible. Mandibles with 3 teeth. Subforaminal bridge with postgenal bridge separating secondary posterior tentorial pits from hypostoma. Axilla transverse, approximated ( Lambdobregma) or widely separated ( Neanastatus) medially. Mesoscutellum with a downwards-projecting hook-like apex; axillular groove or carina present. Frenum apparently absent though the marginal rim of the mesoscutellum may be greatly expanded. Acropleuron enlarged, convex and pad-like; covering mesopleural area (Fig. 119). All legs with 5 tarsomeres; protibial spur stout and curved; basitarsal comb longitudinal; ventral membranous area anterior to mesocoxal attachment absent (Fig. 120); mesotibial spur stout; mesotarsus with 1 row of pegs anteroventrally. Metasoma with syntergum, therefore without epipygium.

Discussion.

Neanastatidae, with only Neanastatus and Lambdobregma remaining, is not related to the formerly included genera Metapelma ( Metapelmatidae) or Eopelma in next-generation molecular analysis (Cruaud et al., submitted). Even then, Neanastatidae is rendered paraphyletic by the incertae sedis taxon Callimomoides ( Louriciinae). Metapelmatidae differ from Neanastatidae in a number of features, including the separate Mt9 in females and the separation of the acropleuron from the mesocoxa by the metapleuron and small mesepimeron in Metapelmatidae . The acropleuron is also separated from the mesocoxa in Eopelma, which nevertheless bears the greatest gestalt resemblance to Neanastatus out of all these taxa due to size, coloration, and flagellomere count. Each of these genera differs from Eupelmidae in lacking a membranous area anterior to the mesocoxal attachment ventrally.