Pseudotiphia (Acanthotiphia) mira, Boni, 2011

Boni, M., 2011, Hymenoptera Tiphiidae from Arabian peninsula, Linzer biologische Beiträge 43 (1), pp. 337-361 : 350-352

Pseudotiphia (Acanthotiphia) mira nov.sp.

Holotype: Yemen = / Yemen (7585) 12 km NW Manakhah 15.V-23.VI.2003 Mal. tr. A. v. Harten RMNH03 /, RMNH;

Paratype: Yemen = / Yemen (7547) 12 km NW Manakhah 1.I-7.V.2003 Mal. tr. A. v. Harten RMNH03 /, RMNH ;

Paratype: Oman = / Oman Dhofar 2000 Rd 31 Queiroo Heiritti dint. 2500 ft 27.VIII 17°17’58N / 54°05’21E M.Generani &/

Male. Holotype. Figs 68-74 . Measurements: body length = 5.4 mm; forewing length = 3,7 mm.

Black. Brown: antennae (with brighter ventral side), mandibles, tegulae, legs but coxae, apex of 6 th sternum.

Apart clypeus and lower frons (similar to the general pattern of Tiphia ) the head shows sparse small p with large smooth areas except on vertex along cOc and on ventral genae along lateral extension of cHy, where denser p and fine shagreened sculpture exist. Progena smooth and shining. PoG ridged, its area sunken compared to the remainder of genae. Ventral cOc slightly prominent and laminated. Mandible with a subapical small tooth.

Mesosoma mostly with sparse p too. Distinct but very low carina along foreborder of N 1, with very short almost undetectable buttressing ridges. Lateral N 1 smooth uppermost with rough p anteriorly, ventrally with few strong transversal wrinkles; N 1 disk with black opaque apical stripe. Omaulus well expressed till signum. es 2 with irregularly spaced p. Finely wrinkled em 3 uppermost, smooth ventrally. Horizontal surface of P outside areola shagreened anteriorly with few p, wrinkled on its posterolateral corner and with finely irregular surface inside areola; posterior surface concave, without any ridge and with concentric rough sculpture and p. Well prominent ridges on sides of areola with weaker and incomplete median one; lateral P with strong wrinkles (about 15) invading es 3 becoming weaker. Sensorium on hind tibia very narrow and somehow hardly distinct from surrounding large oranged area and flushed with it. On apical mid tibia there is a large smooth subrounded area not easily recognizable as sensorial area. Basal hind tarsomerus without any groove and with sparse whitish bristles on its upper and outer surfaces.

Black border of metameri with very narrow membranaceous edge. Sparse p on 2 nd to 6 th terga, 2 nd to 5 th sterna except their base where there is a stripe of denser p; 1 st tergum with very sparse p, large sensorial area and a low irregular gradulus between vertical and horizontal surfaces; 7 th tergum and 6 th tergum more densely p t hroughout; 1 st sternum with lateral broad ridges flanked by shallow groove on the disk; rough irregular trace of gradulus on 2 nd sternum; 6 th sternum with a large median stripe prominent on the surrounding surface; long horn, far trespassing apical border of the element, on subapical side of 2 nd tergum; very shorter horns, not trespassing apical edges, on 3 rd to 5 th sterna.

Female. Figs 75-79 . Measurements: body length = 5.9 mm.

Black. Brown: clypeal lamella, scape, mandible tip, legs with lighter shadows, apex of 6 th sternum. Flagellum (a bit darker upperside), mandible, semitransparent LaSt 2, tegula, veins, pterostigma and apical half of 6 th tergum are light brown.

Most of the head with quite deep sparse p and large impunctate areas on the frons and vertex. Section of cOc near PoG moderately dilated ventrally. Progena with weak mR. Quite prominent ventral projection of the clypeal lamella in frontal aspect. All the flagellomeri (but last) clearly thicker than long. p on N 1 disk, es 1, and es 2 like on the head. Irregular, low, worn out medially carina along its fore border; its lateral area without any gradulus neither groove, with mR on its upper half and weakly wrinkled ventrally. Sc 1 without neither colpus neither gradulus along its fore border, just with a sub triangular p - less area delimited by large p which are present on its middle area and laerally along sup. Sc 2 with sparse large p, postscutellar area only with sparse very minute p. es 2 with ow,well expressed till signum omaulus. em 3 covered by strong mR. es 3 finely shagreened uppermost,smooth ventrally. Ventral coxae with very sparse p. Mid tibia with very small ovoid sensorium hardly detectable under incident light surrounded by shining area. Inner surface of hind tibia well keeled longitudinally. Basal hind tarsomerus with a strong long groove. Horizontal area of Propodeum finely sculptured and/or mR throughout. Areola subtrapezoidal, clearly tapering backward and with regular straight ribs; the mid one stops just a bit before posterior carina; area around spP delimited by regular rib subparallel to lateral carina and getting N 3. Posterior area concave, without any median ridge and completely covered by sculpture formed by densely approached shallow p. lateral areas with weak wrinkles, sub longitudinal (with mR among them) on its fore half and sub vertical backward. p on 1 st sternal surface like on the head on the disk, regular and very small trhoughout the vertical portion; irregular by strong p subapical row; sensorial area on the sides very large and haired, delimited from disk by an acutely angled edge. 2 nd to 5 th terga and 2 nd to 5 th sterna with large semicircular, shallow and sparse p. Subapical stripe of smaller p well distinct only on 2 nd tergum. Smooth apical half of 6 th tergum. 1 st sternal disk flattened and mostly smooth with rare small p and long lateral furrow. 6 th sternum with regularly packed rounded p.

Note. Holotype lacks right mid tarsomerus. Male paratype is in poor condition lacking the entire head, pronotum, propleurae and fore legs. Female paratype lacks most of left flagellum. Both of them show character states identifying members of the genus Pseudotiphia (no colpus along for border of Sc 1 in females, sensorium on mid tibia of both sexes, no differentiated long brisltle on the palette of gonosquama) from members of Tiphia .

Their conspecificity is proposed because both of them show a moderate ventral extension of cOc, very small and almost indistinct sensorium on mid tibiae and proximity of the provenance areas; the male shows peculiar additive character states whereas the female do not show differences from other females of the genus, apart the quite prominent ventral projection of the clypeal lamella in frontal aspect (in other female Pseudotiphia the clypeal lamella is poorly exceeding clypeal sides in frontal aspect). Therefore there is no certainty about and it needs further confirmation.

Figures

Figs 68-79: Pseudotiphia (Acantothiphia) mira Holotype: (68) head and fore half of mesosoma, dorsal aspect; (69) head frontal aspect; (70) fore wing apical half; (71) metasoma, sub ventral lateral aspect; (72) gonosquama, inner lateral aspect; (73) gonosquama, and gonocardo, outer lateral aspect; (74) aedeagus, lateral aspect. Paratype: (75) head frontal aspect; (76) head, PoG area, antero ventral aspect; (77) flagellum; (78) apical mid tibia, inner aspect; (79) apical hind tibia, inner aspect.