Tiphia bakeriana Krombein 1982

Tiphia bakeriana

This is known from single male from the Induruwa Jungle, Gilimale, an area of lowland rain forest with heavy rainfall averaging 3900 mm annually. It is distinguished by the normal tegula, predominantly dark legs, tuft of dense suberect hair on the sixth abdominal sternum, by having the marginal cell extending farther toward the wing apex than the second submarginal cell, the dark tegula, and lack of a light red apical margin of the pronotal disk.

ETYMOLOGY.—The species is named for Edward W. Baker, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in appreciation of his many identifications of parasitic mites infesting Ceylonese and other solitary wasps and bees.

HOLOTYPE.—, Sri Lanka, Sabaragamuwa Province, Ratnapura District, Gilimale, Induruwa Jungle, 16–19 April 1981, in Malaise trap, K.V. Krombein, L. Weeratunge, P. Leanage (USNM Type 100269).

MALE.—Length 6.2 mm. Black, the following light red: apical half of mandible except tip, flagellum beneath, fore and mid tibiae except infuscated areas on outer surface, foretarsus and narrow apices of mid tarsal segments. Vestiture silvery except light brown at apex of abdomen. Wings clear, stigma black, veins light brown at base and dark brown at apex.

Head width 1.6 times interocular distance at anterior ocellus; mandible without a small preapical denticle on inner margin; apical lobe of clypeus large, flat, 1.2 times as wide as antennal fossa, apex slightly emarginate, angles rounded; lower front contiguously punctate, median ridge absent; upper front with a narrow impunctate strip below anterior ocellus, punctures separated by half to the width of a puncture except several rows contiguously punctate along eye margin, no impunctate interspaces wider than an ocellus.

Pronotal disk with a strong anterior ridge behind which is a series of short perpendicular carinae, most discal punctures separated by half the width of a puncture, medially punctures more crowded, apical impunctate strip a third as wide as disk at midline and narrowing to the side; lateral pronotal surface with an oblique median groove, upper area finely, closely lineolate, lower area finely closely wrinkled; tegula opaque, 1.1 times as long as wide; mesopleural disk with most punctures separated by half the width of a puncture and with many interspersed smaller punctures; inner surface of hind tibia with a strong median ridge; marginal cell extending farther toward wing apex than second submarginal; propodeal areola tricarinate, the median carina extending four-fifths toward apex, vestiges of short carina present on either side of median carina, basal width 1.9 times apical width and 0.9 times length; area adjacent to areola minutely roughened and with a curved submarginal carina terminating in lateral ridge four-fifths from base; posterior propodeal surface with numerous close small punctures; lateral propodeal surface with oblique rugulae posteriorly and above, obliquely lineolate anteriorly below.

First abdominal segment 1.1 times as long as broad; preapical impression of first tergum shallow, 2 punctures wide across middle; posterolateral process of fifth sternum low, long, arcuate, mostly transversely oriented; sixth sternum with tuft of dense suberect hair.

FEMALE.—Unknown.