Pristaulacus argutus SMITH, 2008

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 : 294-296

Pristaulacus argutus SMITH , new species

( Figs 45-48 )

Diagnosis:

Black; antenna black; hind leg black, fore- and midlegs orange; ovipositor sheath with a white band; antenna black. Pronotum with one anteriorly projecting tooth. Hind coxa with punctures and some cross striations.

Female:

Length, 9.5 mm; forewing length, 7.0 mm; ovipositor length, 7.5 mm. Color: Black; ovipositor sheath with white band; fore- and mid femora, tibiae, and tarsi orange. Wings hyaline, veins and stigma black; forewing with black spot under stigma and black at apex. Head: Antennal length 2.7X head width. Lower interocular distance 0.9X eye height; malar space 0.3X eye height ( Fig. 45 ). Head from above straight to slightly narrowing behind eyes, length behind eyes about half of eye length ( Fig. 46 ). Occipital carina moderate, about 0.3X diameter of an ocellus. Vertex and gena smooth, shining; frons with moderate-sized punctures, separated by flat interspaces about equal to puncture diameters; fine white pubescence, densest on lower frons, malar area, interantennal area, and clypeus ( Figs 45, 46 ). Mesosoma: Mesoscutum with two acute anterolateral projections Propleuron shining with few fine punctures. Pronotum with one anteriorly projecting tooth. Mesoscutum reticulate anteriorly, two transverse scrobiculate rows posteriorly; axillae and sides of mesoscutellum reticulate, center of mesoscutellum with several transverse carinae; pronotum reticulate posteriorly, more punctate anteriorly; mesopleuron, metapleuron, and propodeum reticulate ( Figs 47, 48 ). Hind coxa with punctures and few transverse carinae, about 2.3X longer than broad. Tarsal claws with 3 teeth and small basal lobe. Hind basitarsus subequal in length to length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by long vein Rs+M. Hind wing venation absent (as in Fig. 157 ). Metasoma: Segments 3 to apex with fine white pubescence and fine punctures. Ovipositor length 1.1X forewing length.

Male: Unknown.

Holotype: Female , labeled “ Mexico: Tamaulipas, Gomez Farias: 300 m, Los Cedros, Malaise, 31.vii.-7.viii 1999, Col. Sonia Hernandez A. ” ( USNM).

Etymology: From the Latin argutus , referring to the acute anterolateral angles of the mesonotum.

Remarks:

This species is very similar to P. ambiguus (SCHLETTERER) from southern Brazil; both are black, but the latter species has entirely black legs. Pristaulacus argutus , P. tria , P. maculata , and P. ruficollis treated here, and P. ambiguous , P. ruficeps (WESTWOOD) , P. brasiliensis (KIEFFER) , P. punctatus SMITH , P. haemorrhoidalis (WESTWOOD) , P. femurrubrum SMITH , and a number of other species from South America belong in a group that has the anterolateral angles of the mesoscutum acute (as in Figs 48 , 52 , 57 , 62 ), one anteriorly projecting tooth on the pronotum, and the tarsal claws with three teeth and a basal lobe. Tamaulipas, Mexico, is the northernmost record for species of this group; the southernmost species occur in northern Argentina.

Figures

Figs 45-48: Pristaulacus argutus. 45 Head, front. 46 Head, dorsal. 47 Mesosoma, lateral. 48 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 49-52: Pristaulacus tria. 49 Head, front (partially obscured by pin). 50 Head, dorsal. 51 Mesosoma lateral. 52 Mesosoma, dorsal.

Figs 53-58: Pristaulacus maculatus. 53 Head, dorsal. 54 Head, front. 55 Head, lateral. 56 Forewing. 57 Mesosoma, dorsal. 58 Mesosoma, lateral.

Figs 59-62: Pristaulacus ruficollis. 59 Head, front. 60 Head, dorsal. 61 Mesosoma, lateral. 62 Mesosoma, dorsal.