Taxonomical study of the genus AnaxarchaStål in China (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae)

SummaryThe genus AnaxarchaStål, 1877 (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae: Hymenopodinae), distributed in SE Asia, included 11 species globally, of which seven had been recorded in China. After examining numerous specimens of Anaxarcha, we provide a systematic review of the genus Anaxarchain China. We propose that the genus Anaxarchashould be divided into two species groups, and describe five new species: A. unicolorn. sp., A. robustan. sp., A. caiwenaeWu, n. sp., A. zhuyuaeWu, n. sp.and A. multipunctatan. sp.Anaxarcha atrispinaYang, 1999 is proposed as a junior synonym of A. tianmushanensisZheng, 1985. Anaxarcha zhengiRen & Wang, 1994 and A. maculataMao & Yang, 2002 are transferred to the genus Odontomantis, as O. zhengi(Ren & Wang, 1994) n. comb.and O. maculata(Mao & Yang, 2002) n. comb.A key to the species of Anaxarchain China, life history, necessary illustrations and life images of Anaxarchaspecies are presented. The distribution of the genus Anaxarchais discussed and mapped.