18. Tiphia (Tiphia) hyalina Hanima & Girish Kumar sp. nov.

(Figs 219–231)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C2295EEA-C373-47CD-B171-A4D9BFC0DCA2

Type material. Holotype, 1♂, INDIA: Tamil Nadu, Thirunelveli district, Gundaru dam site (8°56′34″N & 77°12′49″E, 202 m), 3.x.2018, Coll. K.G. Emilyamma & Party, (ZSIK) Regd. No. ZSI / WGRC /IR/INV.18079 ; Paratypes: 4♂, same collection locality as that of holotype, (ZSIK) Regd. Nos. ZSI / WGRC /IR/INV.18080–18083 & 18909 . 2♂, Karnataka, Shimoga district, Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Hulikal FRH (13°43′45″N & 75°01′08″E, 579 m), 5.ix.2021, Coll. V. D. Hegde & Party, (ZSIK) Regd. No. ZSI / WGRC /IR/INV.19330 ; 1♂, Shimoga district, Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Yadooru (16°34′31″N & 74°39′31″E, 537 m), 6.ix.2021, Coll. V. D. Hegde & Party, (ZSIK) Regd. No. ZSI / WGRC /IR/INV.19152 ; 1♂, Thirunelveli district, Rosemiyapuram (8°21′08″N & 77°33′59″E, 119 m), 27.ix.2017, Coll. P. Girish Kumar, (ZSIK) Regd. No. ZSI / WGRC /IR/INV.18910 .

Diagnosis. Clypeal extension bidentate with disc coarsely punctate basally, smooth apically; mandible without preapical denticle; fore wing hyaline with marginal cell greatly longer than second cubital cell in apical extension; areola 1.86 × as long as apical width; Gt 1 without anterior transverse carina; Gs 5 with lateral denticle.

Description. Holotype, ♂. Body length 7.12 mm. Paratypes, ♂. Body length: 6.12–8.1 mm.

Colour. Body black with other parts as follows: Tegula with upper part dark brownish and lower part yellowish (Fig. 223); veins brownish (Fig. 226); antenna beneath (Fig. 225), palpi (Fig. 221) and tarsi of fore and mid legs light brown (Fig. 219).

Head. Head irregularly punctate with coarse punctures, punctures adjacently placed on lower frons than upper frons (Fig. 220); HW 1.9 × least distance between eyes; POD 2.47 × LOD and 1.24 × OOD; median extension of clypeus bidentate (Fig. 221); mandible without preapical denticle (Fig. 221); length of scape: pedicel: Fu 1: Fu 2: Fu 3: Fu 4: Fu 5: Fu 6: Fu 7: Fu 8: Fu 9: Fu 10: Fu 11 = 0.296: 0.106: 0.130: 0.152: 0.152: 0.153: 0.151: 0.154: 0.152: 0.153: 0.155: 0.154: 0.388 (Fig. 225).

Mesosoma. Anterior pronotal carina of dorsal side of pronotum with long buttressing ridges (Fig. 223); pronotum, mesoscutum and metanotum with moderate sized punctures; lateral side of pronotum without transdiscal groove, upper part with aciculations, lower part with ridges (Fig. 224); tegulae with length 1.3 × its middle width (Fig. 223); areola of propodeum tricarinate with length 1.86 × apical width and 1.25 × basal width, median carina of areola extending to apex (Fig. 223); dorsal side of propodeum without submarginal carina (Fig. 223); mesopleuron anteriorly with coarse punctures and posteriorly with small punctures (Fig. 224); lateral side of propodeum on upper part with widely spaced rugulae (Fig. 224); fore wing with marginal cell greatly longer than second cubital cell in apical extension (Fig. 226); wings hyaline (Fig. 226). Length of mesosoma: 1.93 mm.

Metasoma. Gt 1 without anterior transverse carina and with sparse less punctures, other tergites with almost uniformely arranged punctures (Fig. 227); metasoma 1.8 × mesosoma; Gs 5 with lateral denticle; Gs 6 with sparse setae (Fig. 228). Length of metasoma: 3.35 mm.

Genitalia. Paramere with a stalk and rounded flat apex covered with setae; digitus pointed apically; cuspis slender and beak-like apically and covered with short setae; aedeagus folded completely (Figs 229–231).

Female. Unknown.

Discussion. As per the key of Allen (1975), this new species comes close to T. (T.) nathani Allen in the following characters: clypeal extension bidentate; mandible without acutely pointed preapical denticle; metanotum coarsely punctate; Gt 1 without anterior transverse carina but this new species distinctly differs from T. (T.) nathani as follows: fore wing hyaline (in T. (T.) nathani, fore wing densely infumate); marginal cell of fore wing greatly longer than second cubital cell in apical extension (in T. (T.) nathani, marginal cell of fore wing moderately longer than second cubital cell in apical extension); dorsum of metanotum without trace of median carina (in T. (T.) nathani, dorsum of metanotum with trace of median carina); anterior punctures of preapical band not coalesced and not bordered by transverse escarpment (in T. (T.) nathani, preapical band with punctures coalesced anteriorly where they are bordered by faint transverse escarpment); antennal flagellum yellowish orange beneath (in T. (T.) nathani, antennal flagellum completely black.

Distribution. India: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the hyaline character of fore wing.