Pristaulacus rufitarsis (CRESSON)

Smith, David R., 2008, Aulacidae of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America (Hymenoptera), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 58 (2), pp. 267-355 : 336-338

Pristaulacus rufitarsis (CRESSON)

( Figs 148-151 )

Aulacus rufitarsis CRESSON 1864: 134 (see SMITH 2001 for synonymy and subsequent references).

Diagnosis:

Wings uniformly lightly infuscate, without dark spots; head and mesosoma black, hind tarsus white to reddish, always paler than hind femur and tibia; head with widely scattered punctures; mesoscutum with transverse carinae. Tarsal claws with 3 teeth.

Female:

Length 10.0-12.0 mm; forewing length, 8.0- 9.5 mm; ovipositor length 9.5-10.5 mm. Color: Black; base of first metasomal segment red. Legs black with fore- and mid femora and tibiae brown, all tarsi reddish brown to white. Wings uniformly lightly infuscate, forewing without black spots; veins and stigma black. Head: Lower interocular distance about 1.3X eye height; malar space 0.4X eye height ( Fig. 148 ). Head from above, straight, then roundly narrowing behind eyes, distance behind eyes about equal to eye length ( Fig. 149 ). Occipital carina narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus ( Fig. 149 ). Shining; gena and vertex almost impunctate with fine widely scattered punctures, separated by broad shining flat interspaces several times puncture diameters; frons with more closely set punctures, separate by a distance of about puncture diameter; with fine white pubescence, densest and longest on lower inner orbits, malar area, and clypeus ( Figs 148, 149 ). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron punctate. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae; axillae and mesoscutellum mostly punctate to reticulate, several transverse carinae indicated at center of mesoscutellum; propleuron shining, with few scattered punctures; pronotum mostly punctate, slightly reticulate dorsoposteriorly; mesopleuron punctate on dorsal third, reticulate ventrally, with narrow scrobiculate band posteriorly; metapleuron mostly reticulate, dorsal portion with few carinae; propodeum coarsely reticulate ( Figs 150, 151 ). Hind coxae punctate, with distinct transverse carinae. Tarsal claws with 3 teeth. Hindbasitarsus slightly longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by vein Rs+M (as in Fig. 157 ). Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (as in Fig. 110 ). Metasoma: Smooth, shining, with fine white pubescence on segments 3 to apex. Ovipositor length subequal to forewing length.

Male: Length, 9.0-12.0 mm; forewing length, 7.5-9.5 mm. Color and structure similar to female except apical metasomal segments, usually from 5 to apex, usually black.

Type: Female ( ANSP) from “Colo.” CRESSON (1864) described the species from “ Rocky Mountains , Colorado Territory.”

Specimens examined: Numerous specimens, transcontinental in Canada and northern United States extending south to Georgia in the East and to New Mexico, Arizona, and California in the West. UNITED STATES. ARIZONA: Jacob Lake, Coconimo Co., VII-24-1952 (1 ♀, AMNH) ; Rustler Park , Chiricahua Mts., Cochise Co., July 17, 1957 (1 ♀, AMNH) ; Rustlers Park , Chir., Mts., 8400’, VI-25-1956 (1 ♀, CNC) . NEW MEXICO: Emory Pass , Sierra Co., 7200-8178 ft., July 18, 1964 (1 ♀, AMNH) .

Hosts: Buprestidae and Cereambycidae, mostly from conifers; reared from Chrysobothris caurina HORN (Buprestidae) in Pinus ponderosa DOUGL. ex LAWS. ; from Melanophila fulvoguttata (HARRIS) (Buprestidae) in Tusga canadensis (L.) CARR.; from Melanophila drummondi (KIRBY) (Buprestidae) in Abies concolor (GORD. & GLEN.) Lindl. ; from Sapeda calcarata SAY (Cerambycidae) in Populus tremuloides MICHX. ; from Graphisurus sp. (Cerambycidae) ; Chrysophana placida (LECONTE) (Buprestidae) ; in cone of Pinus attenuate LEMM. ; reared from Pinus arizonica ENGELM. , P. lambertiana DOUGL. , P. flexilis JAMES ; Libodedrus decurrens TORR. , Tsuga mertensiana (BONG.) CARR. ( TOWNES 1950, SMITH 2001).

Remarks:

This is a widespread and common species in the coniferous forests of North America. The specimens from the mountains of southern Arizona and New Mexico are the southernmost known records, though it is likely to occur in Mexico. It can be separated from the other Nearctic species using the keys in TOWNES (1950) and SMITH (1996). Distribution records also are given in those publications.

Figures

Figs 148-151: Pristaulacus rufitarsis. 148 Head, front. 149 Head, dorsal. 150 Mesosoma, lateral 151 Mesosoma, dorsal.

Figs 152-157: Pristaulacus ruficruris. 152 Head, front. 153 Head, dorsal. 154 Head and anterior mesosoma, lateral. 155 Mesosoma, dorsal. 156 Mesosoma, lateral. 157 Wings.

Figs 106-110: Pristaulacus unimacula. 106 Head, front. 107 Head, dorsal. 108 Mesosoma, lateral. 109 Mesosoma, dorsal. 110 Wings.