Tiphia arnaui Allen 1972

Tiphia (Tiphia) arnaui

There is a considerable degree of group resemblance between the species T. arnaui, T. beta, and T. catarina. All have relatively wide cheeks, shagreened tegulae, smoky wings in which the radial cell greatly exceeds the second cubital cell, a transverse carina on the first tergum, enlarged dimpled punctures on the intermediate terga and no sternal denticles. T. arnaui is readily distinguished from T. catarina and T. beta by the coarsely rugulose dorsal propodeum and high transverse propodeal carina. Its cheek is narrower than that of T. catarina. The species is described from a single holotype specimen.

HOLOTYPE.—♂; San Pedro de Colalao, Tucuman, Argentina, 9–II–1947 (J. M. Arnau) (CDA).

MALE.—Front everywhere with closely contiguous punctures except narrowly below ocellar triangle; with sparse secondaries, confined to lower half. Head width 2.0 times least distance between eyes. Cheek slightly wider than an antennal fossa. Antennal flagellum slender, 1.47 times head width. Mandible without preapical denticle.

Dorsal pronotum with a high, sharp-crested transverse carina; bordering sulcus narrow, over its entire length crossed by short obscure ridges; punctures coarse and generally of first-degree density; impunctate part with an acute-pointed margin medially. Lateral pronotum without groove or escarpment across its middle disc. Mesopleuron on its anterior slope with its primary punctures of moderate size and largely of second-degree density, interspaces everywhere with minute secondaries that are much more numerous than the primaries; without patch of subtegular microsetae. Legs black. Hind tibia with an inconspicuous, linear sensorium, inner face obscurely carinate. Tegula broadly shagreened, with a fine groove very close to margin and interrupted at outer apical angle. Forewing with radial cell greatly exceeding second cubital in lateral extension, narrowly open (bom wings); sectors of second cubital cell in terms of inner sector (itob) are 10:32:19:28.

Dorsal propodeum on lateral discs with crooked rugulae converging from their origins in transverse and areola carinae; areola with concave sides slightly tapered, length about one and one-fourth times apical width, disc deeply reticulate; transverse apical carina unusually high. Tergum 1 with a short, obscure, transverse carina flanked caudad by a densely punctate area; preapical band a single row of contiguous punctures deeply sunk in a narrow trench and separated from apex by slightly more than its width. Terga 3, 4, and 5 each with several much enlarged and dimpled punctures. Fifth sternum without lateral denticle.

Length 10.8 mm.

FEMALE.—Unknown.