Heligmothynnus, Brown, 2005

Brown, G. R., 2005, A revision of Tachyphron Brown and description of two new genera within the Ariphron group (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae), Journal of Natural History 39 (2), pp. 197-239 : 208-209

Heligmothynnus gen. nov.

Type species: Heligmothynnus microspinus sp. n.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the Greek word heligma meaning curled and is a reference to the long coiled apical filament of the aedeagus.

Diagnosis. Male: medial apical spine on the hypopygium small. Aedeagus with basal hoodlike structure with paired rounded apical lobes on the ventral margin laterally, and apical long and strongly coiled tape-like structure.

Description. Male: similar to Tachyphron , but differs by having the apical hypopygial spine short and small ( Figures 25–28 ), and the genitalia ( Figures 17–24 ) with (1) the basiparameres long and wide viewed both laterally and dorsally, and broadly emarginate apically; (2) the parameres narrow with the margins strongly curved and/or strongly convergent such that they almost appear sinusoidal in profile; and (3) the aedeagus differentiated into a basal hood-like structure with paired rounded apical lobes on the ventral margin laterally, and apically into a long and strongly coiled tape-like structure.

Remarks. Four species, H. atratus , H. microspinus , H. neoaratus and H. sabronensis , from New Guinea or the adjacent island of Biak are known. All are represented only from a single locality and a single male specimen ( Figure 59 ).

Figures

Figure 59. Distribution of Deuterothynnus spp. and Heligmothynnus spp. (note the coincident collecting of D. fulvicentratus with H. microspinus, and D. fulvisetatus with D. parallelus).

Figures 25–28. Heligmothynnus spp., male hypopygia. (25) H. sabronensis. (26) H. microspinus. (27) H. atratus. (28) H. neoaratus. Scale bar: 0.25 mm.

Figures 17–24. Heligmothynnus spp., male genitalia, lateral and dorsal views. (17, 18) H. microspinus. (19, 20) H. atratus. (21, 22) H. neoaratus. (23, 24) H. sabronensis (note: basal ring not shown). Scale bar: 0.25 mm.