Tachyphron neosubfragilis, 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 : 230

Tachyphron neosubfragilis sp. n.

( Figures 30 , 35, 36 , 60 )

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: „. Papua New Guinea: Western Highlands: Baiyer (as Beiyer) River cattle station, 9 February to August 1974, Howden, PMAE.

Distribution. Known only from Baiyer River cattle station, Papua New Guinea ( Figure 60 ).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from Greek, and is a reference to the similarity of this species to T. subfragilis .

Diagnosis. Male: hypopygium with apical spine broadly triangular and only slightly longer than the lateral spines ( Figure 30 ). Parameres long and narrow apically with the apices divergent ( Figures 35, 36 ). Aedeagus strongly curved with apex directed upwards.

Description. Male: black; metasoma (except T1 and S1) red suffused with black. Tegulae testaceous; wings hyaline, veins and stigma light brown; setae white, slightly fulvous on margin of gena and apex of metasoma. Clypeus closely and finely punctate, apically truncate, sagittally carinate. Frons closely to rugosely punctate. Vertex closely to rugosely punctate. Gena finely punctate. Gena oblique, less than half length of minimum eye diameter. Occipital carina just visible dorsally. Genal cavity not visible dorsally. Pronotum including anterior surface and mesoscutum rugosely punctate, punctures shallower on pronotum. Mesoscutellum deeply closely to rugosely punctate. Metanotum finely punctate. Propodeum closely and shallowly punctate. Mesopleura closely punctate. T1–5 sparsely punctate; T6 punctate, T7 closely and coarsely punctate, medially impunctate; T1 with length: width 1.6:1. S1 shallowly punctate; S2–8 almost impunctate but becoming punctate posterolaterally on posterior sternites especially S8. Hypopygium ( Figure 30 ) subparallel, lateral spines short and acute, apical spine broadly subtriangular. Genitalia ( Figures 35, 36 ) with parameres subparallel basally becoming narrower apically, apices twisted and divergent and appearing as a long digitate process in profile, ending before apex of aedeagus; basiparameres in dorsal view broadly triangular without preapical notches, apex not clearly differentiated from aedeagus and apparently rounded, ending slightly beyond level of apices of cuspides, broad in lateral view; aedeagus with distinct basal and apical sections, basal section short and ovoid without ventral lobes, apical section expanded basally then long, narrow, parallel and hook-shaped, ending beyond level of apices of parameres. BL: 11; FW: 8; HW: 6.

Figures

Figure 60. Distribution of Tachyphron spp. (rarer species).

Figures 29–32. Tachyphron spp., male hypopygia. (29) T. fragilis. (30) T. neosubfragilis. (31) T. comatus. (32) T. nigrisetatus. Scale bar: 0.25 mm.

Figures 33–40. Tachyphron spp., male genitalia, lateral and dorsal views. (33, 34) T. fragilis. (35, 36) T. neosubfragilis (note: basal ring partially detached). (37, 38) T. comatus. (39, 40) T. nigrisetatus. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.