Pristaulacus torridus (BRADLEY)

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 : 312-313

Pristaulacus torridus (BRADLEY)

( Figs 87-92 )

Tropaulacus torridus BRADLEY 1908: 125 .– KIEFFER 1912: 362.– HEDICKE 1939: 17.

Aulacostethus torridus: TOWNES 1950: 92 .– TOWNES 1951: 659.

Pristaulacus torridus: CARLSON 1979: 1114 .– SMITH 2001: 299.

Diagnosis:

Frons finely punctate. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae. Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Hind coxa punctate, striate laterally. Wings dark on anterior half, paler on posterior half, without distinct spots.

Female:

Length, 10.0 mm; forewing length, 9.0 mm; ovipositor length, 8.0 mm. Color: All orange with brownish areas on frons, lateral portions of mesoscutellum, meso- and metapleura, propodeum, and coxae; hind legs missing beyond coxae. Forewing with anterior half infuscate, posterior half subhyaline; hind wing subhyaline; veins brownish, stigma dark orange ( Fig. 91 ). Head: Antennae missing. Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.2X eye height ( Fig. 87 ). Occipital carina narrow, less than 0.2X diameter of an ocellus. From above, somewhat straight, then narrowing behind eyes, about 0.7X eye length ( Fig. 88 ). Smooth and shining with fine white pubescence, pubescence densest on lower frons, lower inner orbits and malar area; gena and vertex impunctate; frons with few widely scattered punctures, farther apart than puncture diameters, somewhat microsculptured between punctures ( Figs 87, 88 ). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron finely punctured. Mesoscutal middle lobe with transverse sculpturation; mesoscutal lateral lobes, axillae, and mesoscutellum more reticulate, with indication of transverse sculpturation at middle of mesoscutellum; pleura and propodeum mostly reticulate with finely punctate area on dorsal mesopleuron ( Figs 89, 90, 92 ). Hind coxa punctured, more striate laterally, about 2.2X longer than broad ( Fig. 92 ), with diagonal ovipositor groove near apex on inner surface. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth and indistinct basal lobe. Forewing with long vein Rs+M separating cells 1M and RS ( Fig. 91 ). Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs separated by vein M (as in Fig. 104 ). Metasoma: Smooth, shining, with fine white pubescence on segments 3 to apex. Ovipositor length about 0.9X forewing length.

Male: Unknown

Holotype: Described from “ one female ” labeled “Brownsville, Texas, June,” “2268,” “TYPE Tropaulacus torridus J. Chester Bradley [red].” ( UKAN).

Remarks:

The holotype seems faded, but this species can be separated by characters given in the key. The other species with the anterior half of the forewing black and the posterior half hyaline to yellowish hyaline are P. anteala and P. nigricoxae . The transverse carinae of the mesoscutum and duller punctate frons are shared by P. torridus and P. anteala , but P. torridus has the mesosoma almost entirely orange to red brown and a more punctate rather than reticulate frons.

Figures

Figs 87-92: Pristaulacus torridus. 87 Head, front. 88 Head, dorsal. 89 Mesosoma, lateral. 90 Mesosoma dorsal. 91 Wings. 92 Posterior portion of mesosoma and mid- and hind coxae.

Figs 102-105: Pristaulacus nigricoxae. 102 Head, front. 103 Head, dorsal. 104 Mesosoma, lateral. 105 Mesosoma, dorsal.