ART. 17 WASPS OF THE GENUS TIPHIA ALLEN AND JAYNES 9 



The lower portion of the punctate area may or may not have a central 

 impunctate spot (pi. 4, fig. 32) in the form of an eTnargination of 

 the apical border. 



The genitalia of the male (pi. 3, fig. 17) consist of the jirst and 

 second genital segments and a number of accessory appendages. On 

 the ventral side of the second genital segment, and more or less 

 closely connected with it, are two pairs of claspers. The larger pair 

 is termed the outer claspers,, and the smaller pair the in7%er claspers. 

 The second genital segment usually terminates in a downward and 

 inward-twisted process termed the apical hook. The aedeagus is 

 characterized by a proximal and a distal portion, which are more 

 or less definitely separated by a constriction. On the distal portion 

 apical lohes and lateral processes are usually differentiated. Very 

 few or no differences have been noted in the genitalia of closely 

 related species of well-defined groups. There are, however, a num- 

 ber of well-marked differences between males of the different groups 

 studied in respect to the conformation of both pairs of claspers, 

 of the apical hooks of the second genital segment, of the degree of 

 angulation or convexity of the inner hind margin from the apical 

 hook to the base of the aedeagus, and in the apical lobe and lateral 

 process of the aedeagus. 



Throughout the group there is a marked degree of antigeny. The 

 males are uniformly mucli smaller than the females. Each sex has 

 specific diagnostic characters not present in the other sex, such as 

 in the wing venation and in the mesepisternal bipunctation in the 

 male, and in the hind basitarsal groove in the female, but even in 

 the case of such characters as the groove on the side of the 

 pronotum, Avhich is developed in both sexes, there is no fixed degree of 

 correlation. 



UNIFORM CHARACTER OF THE GENUS 



An effort has been made to use only characters of diagnostic value 

 in the descriptions in this paper. In order to avoid undue repetition, 

 it may be stated here that all species described in this paper possess 

 the following characters, unless otherwise specified. 



Female. — Vertex without dense, minute punctures extending dor- 

 sally forward from the occipital area. Front with its hairs directed 

 more strongly backward than outward ; primary punctures round and 

 deep; surface not shagreened; without medial carina, impunctate 

 stripe, or groove. Ciypeus with its lateral margin straight; its 

 extension truncate or only very slightly emarginate; with an im- 

 punctate margin defined by an even row of punctures. Mandibles 

 without a median groove between the usual upper and lower grooves. 

 Antenna with its third joint distinctly shorter than its greatest 

 width; first joint not angulate apico-ventrally ; flagellum black 



