Chrysis ignifascia MOCSARY 1893

Chrysis ignifascia MOCSÁRY, 1893 * (Figs 10 A-10D) M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Odisha: 1♁, 1♀, Teypore, [without further information] (NHMW); 1♁, Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore, I. ix.1939, P. S. Nathan (RMNH). I n d i a n r e c o r d s: Odisha *, Tamil Nadu *. D i s t r i b u t i o n: India *, China (Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong), Myanmar (ROSA et al. 2017). R e m a r k s: Chrysis ignifascia was listed as an expected species for India by ROSA et al. (2021a), considering its common occurrence throughout the Oriental region, particularly in Myanmar. However, the male specimen does not match the current interpretation of the male of C. ignifascia, raising doubts about the previous sex association. In fact, MOCSÁRY (1893) described both Chrysis ignifascia, based on a female from Myanmar, and C. birmanica, based on a male specimen from Myanmar but collected in a different locality. KIMSEY & BOHART (1991) synonymised the two species, an interpretation followed by ROSA et al. (2017). However, the discovery of these males raises doubts about the real identity of C. birmanica. The male specimen deposited at NHMW and RMNH exhibit a similar colour pattern to the female, with a golden band on the second tergum and light brown flagellomeres, resembling the male of Chrysis jalala NURSE, 1902; the pits of the pit row are single and small, similar to the male of C. taiwana TSUNEKI, 1970 (synonymised with C. ignifascia by ROSA et al. 2017) and a male identified as C. burmanica (sic) by Mocsáry at the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest (ROSA et al. 2017). These males have a complete apical margin of the third tergum, without concavity. However, the male of C. birmanica has black flagellomeres, deep pits of the pit row, partially confluent laterally and longitudinally elongate; finally, the apical margin is concave medially. A revision of the group based on more material, examination of the male genital capsule, and study of the black spots on the second sternum are needed to confirm the taxonomic status of the species in this group and the relative sex associations.