Tiphia colalao Allen 1972

Tiphia (Tiphia) colalao

T. colalao is known only from the holotype male. Its most distinctive characters are the narrow cheek, the obscure transverse carina of tergum 1, the narrow, deeply impressed preapical band of tergum 1 consisting of unusually coarse punctures, and the enlarged, dimpled punctures of the intermediate terga.

HOLOTYPE.—♂; S. P. Colalao, Tucuman, Argentina, January 1953 (F. H. Walz) (UK).

MALE.—Front on lower half with coarse, very closely contiguous primary punctures, with moderate numbers of large secondaries on narrow ridges between the primaries; upper front on a small area equal to ocellar triangle with punctures of third-degree density. Head width 2.2 times least distance between eyes. Cheek slightly narrower than antennal fossa. Clypeal extension perceptibly bidentate; lateral carina obsolete; lateral excavation shallow. Mandible not cusped.

Dorsal pronotum with sharp, high carina; its bordering sulcus crossed by many short cross ridges; punctures closely contiguous in a narrow band bordering sulcus. Lateral pronotum with anterior process uniformly carinate to ventral corner; disc flat with aciculations of assorted sizes. Mesopleuron on anterior aspect near prepectus with coarse primary punctures of first-degree density and minute secondaries much more numerous than primaries. Hind tibia on inner face with low carina terminating apically in a clavate polished area about sensorium. Tegula shining with outer edge orbicular; with marginal groove about outer apical angle. Wing with membrane moderately infuscate; radial cell slightly exceeding second cubital cell in lateral extension; sectors of second cubital cell in terms of inner sector (itob) are 10:30:19:27.

Dorsal propodeum lateral to areola coarsely reticulate on anterior half; areola with concave sides and apex equalling base; length slightly greater than apical width. Tergum 1 with irregular, obscure transverse carina; preapical band of very coarse coalesced punctures in a deep, narrow trench separated from apex by less than its width. Terga 3 to 5 with some punctures greatly enlarged and dimpled. Sternum 5 without lateral denticles. Sternum 6 without median tuft of erect hairs.

Length 7.5 mm.

FEMALE.—Unknown.