Tiphia Fabricius 1775

Tiphia tegulita Allen

Tiphia (Tiphia) tegulita Allen, 1975:16, 17, pl. 2: figs. 10, 11 [; Godavari, Katmandu, Nepal; holotype in Canadian Entomology Research Institute, Ottawa].

Tiphia (Tiphia) devalae Allen, 1975:61, 62 [; Devala, Nilgiri Hills, South India, and Assam; holotype in Leiden Museum]. [New synonymy.]

The sexes of T. tegulita have not been associated previously. One male was captured with a female in a Malaise trap in Sri Lanka in Ekgal Aru Sanctuary Jungle, a locality in which three other males were taken previously. Both sexes have elongate tegulae. Females of T. tegulita and T. decrescens Walker are unique in the Ceylonese fauna in having the propodeal areola quinquecarinate. Those of the former species are easily distinguished from the latter by the elongate tegulae, entirely red legs and noninflated mid and hind tibiae. The male of T. tegulita usually has the legs except coxae red, the propodeal areola is sometimes quinquecarinate, the posterolateral process of the fifth abdominal sternum is high, curved, and overlies an invagination, and the sixth sternum lacks a tuft of dense erect hair.

The species occurs in both the Wet Zone and the Dry Zone in Sri Lanka and at altitudes ranging from 100 to 600 meters. It is found also in South India, Nepal, and Assam.

FEMALE.—Length 6.0–8.0 mm. Black; mandible except apex, scape, and flagellum at least beneath, tegula, and legs except coxae and occasionally hind tarsus, light red. Vestiture sparse, white with a slight yellowish tinge. Wings slightly infumated, stigma dark, veins amber.

Median lobe of clypeus narrow, apical margin slightly emarginate; head width 1.5 times interocular distance at anterior ocellus; lower front subconfluently punctate, upper front more sparsely so and with at least 2 impunctate interspaces wider than an ocellus.

Anterior margin of pronotal disk with a weak transverse ridge, discal punctures ranging from subconfluent to separated by the diameter of a puncture, wide apical margin impunctate; lateral pronotal surface usually with delicate, oblique median groove, delicately lineolate above and with delicate rugulae in lower corner; notauli meeting well-developed anterior escarpment, discal scutal punctures sparse laterally, close medially; tegula transparent, elongate, about 1.7 times as long as median width; mesopleural punctation rather sparse, mostly separated by the diameter of a puncture or more; mid and hind tibiae not inflated; hind tibia not carinate on inner surface, sensorium subtriangular and impressed; hind basitarsus not grooved on inner surface; propodeal areola quinquecarinate, basal width 1.5 times apical width and 0.7 times length, surface adjacent to areola with some small punctures; lateral surface with close oblique carinae on upper posterior area, delicately irregularly lineolate on lower anterior section; posterior surface rather densely and minutely punctate, sometimes with a short median ridge at base.

Preapical band of punctures on first abdominal tergum ranging from 1 to 2 punctures in width across middle; pygidium punctate on basal half or two-fifths but with an impunctate median space posteriorly, apical half or more glossy.

MALE.—Length 4.2–5.5 mm. Black, the following light red: mandible in middle, usually flagellum beneath, posterior half or more of tegula, frequently legs except coxae, but mid tibia, hind femur, and tarsi rarely brownish. Vestiture pale with slight yellowish cast. Wings clear, stigma and veins dark brown.

Mandible with a faint preapical denticle; head width 1.6 times interocular distance at anterior ocellus; lower front with small confluent punctures, upper front with scattered punctures and many impunctate interspaces wider than an ocellus.

Pronotal disk with a well-developed anterior carina behind which are a series of weak ridges, discal punctures subconfluent anteriorly, becoming sparser toward middle, the apical margin broadly impunctate; lateral surface with weak oblique median groove which may be lacking, surface delicately obliquely lineolate; mesopleural disk with most punctures separated by at least the diameter of a puncture; tegula elongate, posterior half transparent, 1.8 times as long as median width; hind tibia not carinate on inner surface, sensorium small, narrow, slightly impressed; propodeal areola sometimes quinquecarinate but middle pair not complete, basal width 1.6–1.7 times apical width and 0.9–1.0 times length, surface adjacent to areola delicately roughened, lacking lateral submarginal carina; posterior surface with or without a short median ridge at base, with moderately close, small punctures; lateral surface with close, oblique weak carinae on upper posterior section, irregularly lineolate anteriorly below.

First abdominal segment 1.4 times as long as wide, disk of first tergum glossy, with sparse scattered punctures, preapical concentration 2 to 3 punctures wide; second tergum glossy; third to sixth segments shagreened and with small punctures separated by about the diameter of a puncture; posterolateral process of fifth sternum moderately high, arcuate, and overlying an invagination; sixth sternum without a tuft of dense erect hair.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—EASTERN PROVINCE. Amparai District: 1, 4, Ekgal Aru Sanctuary Jungle, 1 pair in Malaise trap, 100 m, 19–22 Feb, 9–11 Mar, Krombein et al. (USNM).

CENTRAL PROVINCE. Kandy District: 1, Peradeniya, Mahaweli River, 22–24 Feb, Stubbs et al. (London); 2, Kandy, Udawattakele Sanctuary, 1800 ft, 1–3 Oct, Krombein et al. (USNM).

SOUTHERN PROVINCE. Matara District: 1, Hayes, 8 mi from Deniyaya, 28 Dec (Colombo).

Tiphia layouae Allen

Tiphia layouae Allen, 1967, p. 3; 1970, p. 258.

This species has been taken only in coastal localities, up to about 400 feet elevation. Records are as follows: 40♂ ♂, Clarke Hall, January–March, May, November (Evans, Wirth, Spangler, Steyskal); 1♂, Hillsborough Est., 25 January (Wirth); 4♂ ♂, Fond Figues River, 400 feet, 25 January, 9 February (Evans, Wirth); 2♂ ♂, Long Ditton, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).

Tiphia is a genus of wasps belonging to the family Tiphiidae subfamily Tiphiinae. They feed on soil-inhabiting scarab beetle larvae.

The species Tiphia vernalis (Spring Tiphia) has been introduced in the United States from Korea and China in 1925 to combat the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica).