Aulacidae of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America (Hymenoptera) Author Smith, David R. text Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 2008 2008-11-15 58 2 267 355 https://www.contributions-to-entomology.org/article/view/1731 journal article 10.21248/contrib.entomol.58.2.267-355 0005-805X 5364480 959C00C8-C510-47C0-9ABB-0D8712B3E6BD 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. Figs 45-48: Pristaulacus argutus . 45 Head, front. 46 Head, dorsal. 47 Mesosoma , lateral. 48 Mesosoma , dorsal. 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 .