Epomidiopteron julii Romand 1836

Epomidiopteron julii Romand, 1836:653.—Allen 1966:206

The descriptive notes below are abstracted from a recent detailed redescription based on one specimen from the type locality lent by Dr. Kelner-Pillault of the Paris Museum, and the other specimens listed below. Dr. Karl Krombein of the Smithsonian Institution thinks that the type of this distinctive species is a female in the Munich Museum which bears the following labels: “Cayenne/coll-Guerin,” “Cay.”; “Coll. Guerin“; and “Epomidiopteron/julii/Rom./Cayenne.” An Epomidiopteron considered to be julii occurs as far north as southern Arizona. For a more extensive list of references see Allen 1966.

FEMALE.—Body color black with broad yellowish white spots on clypeus, mesopleuron, scutellum, metanotum, pygidium, and laterally on pronotum and the first 4 abdominal segments. Front with impunctate ridge bordering inner eye orbit. Mandible with massive preapical denticle. Dorsal pronotum with transverse carina complete but not buttressed. Lateral pronotum without anterior process; disc with a mixture of punctures and obscure rugulae. Scutum without anteromedian escarpment. Legs black to reddish brown. Middle and hind tibia on outside with spines subobsolete except for dorsal row; hind tibia on inner face carinate on basal half without visible sensorium. Tegula rectangular, 1.6 times as long as wide, completely fine shagreened. Wing black violaceous; spur from first section of radius bisects first cubital cell as in Paratiphia. Dorsal propodeum with areola when present, slenderly rectangular and about 6 times as long as wide; area beside areola coarsely punctate. Tergum 1 with anterior transverse carina interrupted on center line; preapical band medially a single row of coarse punctures. Sterum 2 with a conspicuous anterior median callosity. Intermediate terga with a line of contiguous punctures at some distance from apices of terga. Pygidium with a few small round punctures on anterior half. Length 16 to 18 mm.

MALE.—Body black with broad yellowish white spots approximately as in female. Front with an impunctate ridge parallel to inner eye orbit. Cheek slightly wider than an antennal fossa. Mandible with massive preapical denticle. Dorsal pronotum with low transverse carina, not buttressed. Lateral pronotum coarsely punctate on upper anterior part. Legs, except inner face of fore tibia, black. Tegula roughly rectangular, 1.7 times as long as wide, completely but very minutely shagreened. Forewing with backward directed spur from first section of radius almost bisecting first cubital cell; apical enclosure on radial cell directed strongly inward to costal margin. Dorsal propodeum outside areola closely and very coarsely punctate; areola a small, elongate oval, without median carina. Lateral propodeum without a well-defined upper rugulose region. Tergum 1 with a poorly defined anterior transverse carina interrupted medially. Terga 1 to 6 each with a broad, ribbon-like impunctate apex bordered anteriorly by a row of coalesced punctures. Sternum 2 with a strong anteromedian callosity. Sterna each with a strong median escarpment extending from side to side. Sternum 6 without specialized median plate. Male genitalia (Allen 1966: 209) have a heavy sclerotized paramere which serves to box in the remainder of the genitalia, the parameral plate has 2 twisted, finger-like terminal lobes, the cuspis is short and pointed, another small structure posterioventrad to cuspis is tipped with several long hairs.

1 ♂; French Guiana (Guerin) (MHNP). 1 ♂; Santerem, presumably Brazil. 1 ♂; probably “Colonia Hansa,” Brazil (CU). 1 ♂; Ichilo, Buena Vida, Boliva (Martinez) (USNM). 1 ♀; Tingo Maria, Huanuco, Peru (AMNH). 1 ♀; Palmar, Equador (AMNH). 1 ♂; Panama (BM).

This genus is named in honor of J. R. Malloch, who, in 1918, published the first systematic paper on Tiphiinae in which numerous valuable diagnostic characters were used. Because of its peculiar elongated mouthparts, it seems impossible to consider the designated genotype in any light other than generically separate from but a close relative of the North American genera Neotiphia and Paratiphia, which also have specialized elongated mouthparts. In most other respects, however, it appears much more closely related to the genus Tiphia. Both sexes are of moderate size; neither has broad white spots on any part of the body. It is tempting to presume that this genotype lies closer to the origins of the highly specialized genera Paratiphia and Neotiphia than to any species yet discovered. Although the males of the 2 described species have lateral denticles on the fifth sternum, this may not be a universal generic character.

GENOTYPE.—♂; holotype of M. arnaui.

MALE.—Head with elongated labium and maxillae. The labium with small palpi (Figure 1). Prepectal carina present on mesopleuron. Hind coxa without prominent carina between inner and upper faces. Forewing with terminal veins of second cubital and radial cells almost a straight line and sloped strongly inward to costal margin; first section of radial cell without a bend or inwardly directed spur; first recurrent vein not recurved just before junction with cubitus. Dorsal propodeum with only one transverse carina. Lateral propodeum with a distinct separation between upper rugose and lower shagreened sections. Tergum 1 without anterior transverse carina and without depressed sensorial area on sides. Intermediate terga without an escarpment or groove near junction with preceding tergum, or broad, polished ribbon-like bands at the apices. Pygidium not coarsely punctate and without carinae enclosing the punctate part. Sternum 6 medially without a specialized shield-shaped area; its lateral margin not notched.

FEMALE.—Mouthparts elongated, with small palpi as in male. Scutum with anteromedian escarpment. Mesopleuron with a prepectal ridge. Forewing with radial cell open, the radius with a terminal spur directed mesad toward costal margin. Pygidium as in Tiphia with punctures on basal part and apex smooth. In other characters as described for male.