Aulacus pterostigmatus ( Szépligeti 1903 ), Szepligeti, 1903

Jennings, John T. & Austin, Andrew D., 2006, Aulacid wasps (Hymenoptera: Aulacidae) of New Guinea, with descriptions of five new species, Zootaxa 1365, pp. 19-35 : 21-22

Aulacus pterostigmatus ( Szépligeti 1903)

( Fig. 1 )

Aulax pterostigmatus Szépligeti 1903: 394 .

Aulacinus pterostigmatus: Kieffer 1912: 349 , 355; Hedicke 1939: 26. Aulacus pterostigmatus: Smith 2001: 274 .

Holotype: Missing. Type locality: Sattelberg, [Papua] New Guinea, collector Biró ( Szépligeti 1903).

Remarks. Szépligeti (1903) did not designate a holotype. Presumably he had a single female specimen, although this is not stated. Most of Szépligeti's material was deposited in the Hungarian National Insect Collection, but no specimens of A. pterostigmatus have been located (Csõsz pers. comm.).

= A. pterostigmatus ; Π = A. sedlaceki ; = A. wau ; = P. kiunga ; = P. laloki .

Although somewhat brief, we can use Szépligeti's description to compare this species with the three new taxa described herein. Firstly, Szépligeti indicates that the "Hinterleib fast spidelförmig", i.e., 'abdomen' (metasoma), literally spindle shaped. Both A. enaratodi and A. sedlaceki have a metasoma that is, presumably, similar to that in A. pterostigmatus , but A. wau has, when viewed laterally, a more or less ovate, laterally compressed metasoma. Secondly, Szépligeti indicates that the wings of A. pterostigmatus are hyaline but does not mention any fuscous spot on the fore wing, although one might infer from the name that it has such a spot. The fore wing of A. sedlaceki has such a distinct fuscous spot but it is lacking in both A. enaratodi and A. wau . Thirdly, Szépligeti indicates that the ovipositor is longer than the body, as is the case in A. enaratodi and A. wau , but it is shorter in A. sedlaceki . Fourthly, Szépligeti’s description indicates that A. pterostigmatus is largely black with the base of the antennae brown-red. The colour of A. enaratodi closely matches this description, but the antennae are brown rather than reddish brown at the base. Finally, A. pterostigmatus is 6.0 mm long and intermediate in length between A. sedlaceki , 3.6 (3.2–4.0) mm, and both A. wau (8.0 mm) and A. enaratodi (8.8 mm). Given these differences, we conclude that A. pterostigmatus is different from the three new species from New Guinea. We have included it in the key as best we can to enable possible recognition as more material becomes available in the future.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution of Aulacus and Pristaulacus species in New Guinea. ˖ = A. enaratodi;