Tiphia diamantina Allen 1972

Tiphia (Tiphia) diamantina

I have recognized 4 species from southern South America in which the males have no sternal denticles, no transverse carina on tergum 1, and in which the punctures of the intermediate terga are not conspicuously enlarged. T. diamantina differs from T. uruouma and T. sankutei in having the preapical band of tergum 1 outlined on anterior border with an escarpment. T. cumana has most of the same characters including the escarpment bordering the preapical band, but differs from T. diamantina in having numerous secondary punctures on the front, no cross ridges buttressing the transverse carina of the dorsal pronotum, very many closely spaced rugulae on lateral propodeum and a long terminal spur on the cubital vein.

HOLOTYPE.—♂; Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 14/18–XI–1919, Cornell University Expedition Lot 869 (CU).

MALE.—Front coarsely close punctate except on small area in front of ocellar triangle; without secondaries. Head width 2.1 times least distance between eyes. Cheeks slightly wider than an antennal fossa. Mandible without preapical denticle.

Dorsal pronotum with sharp-crested transverse carina; bordering sulcus crossed over its entire length by short cross ridges; punctures moderately coarse and separated by distances about equal to their average diameter. Lateral pronotum without groove across disc. Mesopleuron on outer disc with moderate-sized primary punctures separated in all directions by interspaces equal to or greater than their average diameter; with only a few minute secondaries; subtegular patch of dense micropunctures not as wide as tegula. Legs black to piceous. Hind tibia obscurely carinate on inner face, the carina expanded apically around a slenderly ovate sensorium. Tegula piceous without shagreening or marginal grooves. Forewing with its membrane hyaline; radial cell equal to or slightly exceeding second cubital cell in lateral extension, its terminal sector bent at middle; sectors of second cubital cell in terms of inner sector are 10:21:16:18.

Dorsal propodeum outside areola with coarse sculpturing limited to a group of shallow punctures beside areola and short ridges buttressing apical carina; areola keystone-shaped, slightly longer than basal width, length about one and one-half apical width, median carina nearly complete, narrowly linear. Lateral propodeum with rugulae widely separated and present to caudal corner. Tergum 1 without transverse carina; preapical band a single impressed row of indistinct punctures, separated from apex by 3 to 4 times width of band and bordered anteriorly by a distinct escarpment. Intermediate terga with punctures of nearly uniform size and distribution. Sternum 5 without lateral denticles.

Length 6.5 mm.

FEMALE.—Unknown.