Acanthoplectrini Markl, 1954

Zheng, Yuchen, Badano, Davide, Aspöck, Ulrike, Aspöck, Horst, Hayashi, Fumio & Liu, Xingyue, 2025, Revision of the antlion genus Epacanthaclisis Okamoto, 1910 (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Dendroleontinae), Zootaxa 5657 (1), pp. 1-100 : 9-11

Tribe Acanthoplectrini Markl, 1954

Genus Epacanthaclisis Okamoto, 1910

Epacanthaclisis Okamoto, 1910: 285 . Type species: Acanthaclisis moiwana Okamoto, 1905 (as “ Acanthaclisis moiwasana ”, sic in Matsumura 1908: 40; as “ Epacanthaclisis moiwasana ”, sic in Okamoto 1910: 285, Esben-Petersen 1935: 234, Banks 1941: 2), by original designation.

Botuleon Yang, 1986: 431 . Type species: Botuleon maculosus Yang, 1986 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Adult: Eye as wide as frons. Pronotum as long as wide. Legs robust, with dense setae; length of femur and tibia as long as head plus thorax; fore femur ventrally with a long sense hair; pretarsal claw 2/3 times as long as tarsomere 5. Mesopleuron without Miller’s organ. Wings scattered some markings, anterior Banksian line sometimes present (absent in some species of the E. continentalis group). Forewing costal crossveins mostly connected by oblique veinlets; RP origin basal to MP fork, nearly align at CuA fork. Hindwing mostly with two presectoral crossveins ( E. maculata and some individuals of the E. tuyuezhengi group with only one presectoral crossvein); male pilula axillaris present. Abdomen with distinct sexual dimorphism. Female abdomen dark brown to black, unspecialized. Males specialized abdomen tends to different in shape, color, and markings from that of females; abdominal segments 4–5 swollen, covered with specialized tuft of bristles and tiny gland pores ( Figs. 2 , 18 , 22 , 38 , 49 ); intersegmental membrane between segments 8 and 9 elongate, generally longer than wide, normally folded. Male gonocoxites 9 various in different species groups; gonocoxites 11 thick-arched in the E. maculosa , E. moiwana , and E. tuyuezhengi groups, but normally short arched in the E. continentalis group; ectoproct usually expanded on lateral margin, covered with many curved stout setae. Female anterior branches of gonocoxites 8 tuberculate, posterior branches digitiform or thumb-shaped (gonocoxites 8 only single pair in E. alaica ); gonapophyses 8 ribbon-shaped. 3rd instar larva: lateral body with long clavate setae. Mandible twice as long as head; first tooth present on medium part, shorter than second tooth; second tooth as long as third tooth; basal half with at least six interdental mandibular setae. Eye protruded. Mesothoracic setiferous processes generally digitiform. Abdominal setiferous processes tuberculate. Odontoid processes on ventral segment 8 present. Abdominal segment 9 triangular, as long as wide; short rastra with four pair of digging setae ( Fig. 55 ).

Biology. The larvae are ambush hunters, and do not build pit-traps. They also often are characterized by different habitat preferences in the species. Usually, larvae dig into deep soil and debris under tree roots and among rocks.

Distribution. Afghanistan, China, India, Japan, Laos, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.

Remarks. Epacanthaclisis is characterized by sexual dimorphism in the abdomen. The male abdomen usually has different coloration and pattern with respect to the female. Moreover, the swollen abdominal segments 4–5 in males present various interspecific specializations, e.g., the degree of swelling, the position and shape of specialized tuft of bristles, and the arrangement of gland pores. In addition, males of some species bear traces of unknown secreta along the abdominal tuft of bristles.

Krivokhatsky (1998) emphasizes that this genus is not present in the Oriental region. However, based on our research, Epacanthaclisis is widely distributed in South China, in the Himalayas, and in northern Indochina ( Fig. 56 ), where it is even more diverse than in the Palaearctic region.

The Epacanthaclisis continentalis group

Diagnosis. Hindwing slightly shorter than forewing. Anterior Banksian line absent in E. alaica , E. continentalis , E. hamata , and E. kuldurguch . Only male abdominal segment 5 slightly swollen; male abdominal tergum 4 medially with a pair of short stout tufts of bristles, the tip of the pair bristles mixed up in a ball of brown wool. Male sternum 9 slightly wide, distal margin rounded; gonocoxites 9 shaped as a pair of plates in ventral view, external part (external gonocoxites 9) thick or strongly sclerotized with many tiny tubercles; gonocoxites 11 slender arched. Female gonocoxites 9 covered with slender setae, without stout setae (but present in E. continentalis ).

Included species.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Male abdomens of Epacanthaclisis spp., dorsal view. The E. continentalis group: A. E. continentalis Esben- Petersen, 1935, Khinjan (Afghanistan); B. E. darman Zheng, Badano, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck & Liu sp. nov., Gyirong (Xizang, China); C. E. hamata Krivokhatsky, 1998, Talas (Kyrgyzstan); D. E. liuyingqiae Zheng, Badano, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck & Liu sp. nov., Medog (Xizang, China); E. E. victor Badano, Zheng & Liu sp. nov., Zhentang (Xizang, China); F. E. zhiweii Zheng, Badano, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck & Liu sp. nov., Tsizhong (Yunnan, China); G. E. zuqii Zheng, Badano, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck & Liu sp. nov., Pianma (Yunnan, China); The E. tuyuezhengi group: H. E. tuyuezhengi Zheng & Liu sp. nov., Yajiang (Sichuan, China); I. E. zhihaoi Zheng & Liu sp. nov., Weixi (Yunnan, China); The E. maculosa group: J. E. jiazhii Zheng, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck, Hayashi & Liu sp. nov., Baoshan (Yunnan, China); K. E. maculosa (Yang, 1986), Baoshan (Yunnan, China); L. E. minana (Yang, 1999), Dehua (Fujian, China); M. E. minana, Lu-An (Anhui, China); N. E. xiaohongae Zheng & Liu sp. nov., Pianma (Yunnan, China); The E. moiwana group: O. E. banksi Krivokhatsky, 1998, Wenxian (Gansu, China); P. E. longwai Zheng, Hayashi & Liu sp. nov., Lu-An (Anhui, China); Q. E. moiwana (Okamoto, 1905), Yatsushiro (Japan); R. E. ningshana Wan & Wang, 2010, Beijing (China).

FIGURE 18. The Epacanthaclisis continentalis group, male abdominal terga 4, dorsal view.A. E. continentalis Esben-Petersen, 1935, Khinjan (Afghanistan); B. E. darman Zheng, Badano, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck & Liu sp. nov., Gyirong (Xizang, China); C. E. hamata Krivokhatsky, 1998, Talas (Kyrgyzstan); D. E. liuyingqiae Zheng, Badano, U. Aspöck, H.Aspöck & Liu sp. nov., Medog (Xizang, China); E. E. victor Badano, Zheng & Liu sp. nov., Zhentang (Xizang, China); F. E. zhiweii Zheng, Badano, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck & Liu sp. nov., Tsizhong (Yunnan, China); G. E. zuqii Zheng, Badano, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck & Liu sp. nov., Pianma (Yunnan, China).

FIGURE 22. The Epacanthaclisis tuyuezhengi group, male abdominal terga 4–5, dorsal view. A. E. tuyuezhengi Zheng & Liu sp. nov., tergum 4; B. E. tuyuezhengi Zheng & Liu sp. nov., terga 4–5; C. E. zhihaoi Zheng & Liu sp. nov., terga 4–5.

FIGURE 38. The Epacanthaclisis minana group from China, male abdominal terga 4–5, dorsal view. A. E. jiazhii Zheng, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck, Hayashi & Liu sp. nov., Baoshan (Yunnan); B. E. maculosa (Yang, 1986), Baoshan (Yunnan); C. E. minana (Yang, 1999), Dehua (Fujian); D. E. minana, Lu-An (Anhui); E. E. xiaohongae Zheng & Liu sp. nov., Pianma (Yunnan).

FIGURE 49. The Epacanthaclisis moiwana group, male abdominal terga 4–5, dorsal view. A. E. banksi Krivokhatsky, 1998, Wenxian (Gansu, China); B. E. longwai Zheng, Hayashi & Liu sp. nov., Lu-An (Anhui, China); C. E. moiwana (Okamoto, 1905), Yatsushiro (Japan); D. E. ningshana Wan & Wang, 2010, Beijing (China).

FIGURE 55. Comparison of larval abdominal segments 9 of Epacanthaclisis from China, ventral view; A. E. zuqii Zheng, Badano, U.Aspöck, H. Aspöck & Liu sp. nov., Pianma (Yunnan); B. E. jiazhii Zheng, U. Aspöck, H. Aspöck, Hayashi & Liu sp. nov., Baoshan (Yunnan); C. E. minana (Yang, 1999), Dehua (Fujian); D. E. banksi Krivokhatsky, 1998, Wenchuan (Sichuan); E. E. ningshana Wan & Wang, 2010, Beijing.

FIGURE 56. Distribution map of Epacanthaclisis.