Pristaulacus arizonicus (TOWNES)

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 : 335-336

Pristaulacus arizonicus (TOWNES)

( Figs 144-147)

Aulacostethus arizonicus TOWNES 1950: 98 .– TOWNES 1951: 657.

Pristaulacus arizonicus: CARLSON 1979: 1112 .– SMITH 2001: 278.

Diagnosis:

Head and mesosoma black; mesoscutal middle lobe with transverse carinae; occipital carina flangelike; head punctate, frons with closely set punctures.

Female:

Length, 13.5-15.0 mm; forewing length, 12.5-13.5 mm; ovipositor length 18.0-20.0 mm. Color: Black; first metasomal except streak at base and segments 2 and 3 and basal part of 4 orange. Wings slightly dusky; forewing with black spot under stigma and at apex; veins and stigma black. Head: Lower interocular distance 1.4X eye height; malar space neatly 0.5X eye height ( Fig. 144). Head from above, sharply narrowing behind eyes, distance behind eyes subequal to eye length ( Fig. 145). Occipital carina broad, flangelike, more than half diameter of an ocellus ( Fig. 145). Shining; gena and vertex with large punctures, mostly separated by flat, shining interspaces 2X or more puncture diameters; frons with closely set punctures, interspaces ridgelike, mostly equal to puncture diameters; with fine white pubescence, densest on lower inner orbits, malar area, and clypeus ( Figs 144, 145). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron punctate. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae; axillae and sides of mesoscutellum reticulate, center of mesoscutellum with transverse carinae; propleuron shining, punctate; pronotum mostly punctate, punctures finer dorsoposteriorly; mesopleuron finely punctate on upper half, reticulate mixed with punctures on lower half; metapleuron mostly reticulate; propodeum finely punctate to reticulate, shining with few carinae near metasomal insertion ( Figs 146, 147). Hind coxa with transverse carinae. Tarsal claws with 4 teeth. Hind basitarsus slightly longer than remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with long vein Rs+M separating cells 1M and 1Rs (as in Fig. 157). Hind wing veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (as in Fig. 110). Metasoma: Smooth, shining, with fine white pubescence on segments 4 to apex. Ovipositor length about 1.5X forewing length.

Male: Unknown.

Holotype: Female is at OSU, labeled “Chiricahua M., Ar, VII-26-87,” “D.J. & J.N. Knull Collrs,” “ Holotype ” [red], “ Pristaulacus arizonicus Tow. type” [TOWNES’ name label].

Specimens examined: UNITED STATES. ARIZONA: Cochise Co., Cave Cr. Canyon, Chiricahua Mts. , Southwestern Research Station , 5350', 81°53'N, 109°12'W, 22.VI-1999 (1 ♀, USNM) ; Chiricahua M., VIII-2-52 (1 ♀, USNM) ; Mt. Lemmon, Sta. Catalina Mts. , 3-4.VIII.67 (1 ♀, CNC) ; Apache Co., Hawley L., 8300’, 8.5.82 (2 ♀♀, CAS) , same except VIII-1-82 (1 ♀, CAS) ; Williams, VII-22-50 and VIII-2-52 (6 ♀♀, OSU) ; 5 mi NW Flagstaff , Coconimo Co., 7000 ft., July 29, 1950 (1 ♀, AMNH) .

Remarks:

This large black species with the metasoma partly orange has been found only in Arizona.