Puthuvayi Girish Kumar

The rare thynnid flower wasp, genus Poecilotiphia Cameron, 1902, is reported for the first time from the Oriental region. We provide description and illustration of a new species, Poecilotiphia babui. Paralectotype images of the closely allied P. albomaculata Cameron, 1902, were studied and provided here.

The genus Paraleptomenes Giordani Soika, 1970 from India is studied, resulting in the descriptions of two new species: P. gadagkari Girish Kumar, Amal & Carpenter, sp. nov. and P. viraktamathi Girish Kumar, Arunkumar & Carpenter, sp. nov. Images of the holotypes of P. guichardi Giordani Soika, 1994 and P. communis Giordani Soika, 1994 and the paratype of P. rufoniger Giordani Soika, 1994 deposited in the Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia Giancarlo Ligabue, Venezia are provided. Range extensions within India for some Indian species are also augmented here. Furthermore, a key to the world species of Paraleptomenes is updated.

A new species of Lindenius Lepeletier & Brullé, 1835, L. narendrani Amal & Girish Kumar, is described and illustrated based on a female specimen collected from Rajasthan, India. The type images of the closely allied species L. prosopiformis (Nurse, 1903) are studied and included. A key to the Lindenius of the Indian subcontinent is provided.

The genus Ammoplanus Giraud, 1869 is reported for the first time from the Oriental region based on specimens collected from Kerala, India. Three new species—A. clypeatus Tessy, Girish Kumar & Sureshan, A. luteus Tessy, Girish Kumar & Sureshan, and A. striatus Tessy, Girish Kumar & Sureshan—are described and illustrated. A key to the Oriental Ammoplanus is provided.

Spilomena malabarica Amal and Girish Kumar sp. nov., a new species of aphid wasp in the genus Spilomena Shuckard, 1838, is described and illustrated from Kerala, India. The diagnosis of the new species with its nearest species is included. An updated key to the Indian species of Spilomena is provided.

The genus Nitela Latreille from India is studied and three new species are described, namely, N. pseudocollaris Mawadda & Girish Kumar, N. neoapoensis Mawadda & Girish Kumar, and N. nasseri Mawadda & Girish Kumar, whereas N. domestica Williams, 1928, is a new record for India. An updated key of Oriental Nitela is provided.

Spilomena bobyjosei Girish Kumar & Amal sp. nov., a new species of aphid wasp in the genus Spilomena Shuckard, 1838, is described from the Southern Western Ghats of Kerala, India. This genus is rarely collected from the Indian subcontinent, and most species are described from a single specimen. The genus can be ...

Two new species of Anastatus Motschulsky, 1859 namely, A. narendrani sp. nov. and A. gibsoni sp. nov. are described based on brachypterous females. A checklist of Indian species of Anastatus with updated distribution is provided.

The genus Iphitrachelus Haliday, 1835 has a world-wide distribution. These are small, gracile insects, rare in museum collections. Eleven species of Iphitrachelus have so far been described from different parts of the world. Of the four Oriental species, three (I. lar Haliday, 1835, I. shajii Anjana and Rajmohana, 2017, and I. neogracilis Anjana and Rajmohana, 2017) are from India. Three new species of Iphitrachelus – I. alpatanu Veenakumari and Buhl sp. nov., I. phenalus Veenakumari and Buhl sp. nov. and I. vakratunda Veenakumari and Buhl sp. nov. are described from India. Iphitrachelus shajii is treated as a junior synonym of I. lar. Iphitrachelus masneri Buhl, 1997 is reported for the first time from India. An illustrated key is furnished for all the females of the Indian species of Iphitrachelus.