Pristaulacus singulus 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 : 328-329

Pristaulacus singulus SMITH , new species

( Figs 128-131 )

Diagnosis:

Head, mesosoma, and legs orange, metasoma black. Forewing with one black apical spot. Head shining. Mesosoma with transverse carinae. Hind coxa smooth, shining, elongate. Anterior margin of pronotum without tooth.

Female: Unknown.

Male:

Length, 15.0 mm; forewing length 11.5 mm. Color: Antenna with scape orange, pedicel and basal 6 flagellomeres black (segments beyond 6 missing). Head orange with brownish band bordering occiput. Mesosoma orange with mesoscutal middle lobe blackish. Legs orange (hind legs missing beyond coxae). Metasoma black. Wings hyaline with black spot at apex of forewing; veins and stigma black. Head: Lower interocular distance shorter, about 0.8X, eye height; malar space about 0.2X eye height ( Fig. 128 ). Occipital carina narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. From above, straight then roundly narrowing behind eyes, distance behind eyes about 0.7 eye length ( Fig. 129 ). Front ocellus in distinct depression ( Fig. 128 ). Head smooth and shining, vertex and gena with widely spaced punctures, interspaces much longer than puncture diameters; frons with widely scattered somewhat larger punctures, separated by distances more than puncture diameters, interspaces with fine microsculpture ( Figs 128, 129 ). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron shining, almost impunctate. Mesonotum shining, without sculpture on front downturned portion of mesoscutal middle lobe, with coarse transverse carinae dorsally; pronotum almost impunctate, large smooth shining area at center, slight reticulations on posterior margin; mesopleuron almost impunctate, microsculptured with some large reticulations ventroanteriorly and dorsoposteriorly; metapleuron microsculptured with 5 or 6 carinae ventrally; propodeum microsculptured but more reticulate around metasomal insertion and posteriorly ( Figs 130, 131 ). Hind coxa long, about 3.3X longer than broad, smooth and shining. Tarsal claws with 4 teeth. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by long Rs+M vein (as in Fig. 91 ). Hind with veins faint to absent (as in Fig. 157 ). Metasoma: Smooth, shining; fine white pubescence at apex of segment 2 to apex, especially laterally.

Holotype: Male, labeled “Sendero, Pailas, Catarata, Prov. Guan., Costa Rica, 800 m, 11-12 Ene 1994, M. Zumbado, LN 306300_388600 #2666,” “ Costa Rica INBIO CRI001 725804” ( INBio) (“ Guan ” = Guanacaste).

Etymology: From the Latin singulus , meaning single spot, referring to the single black spot at the apex of the forewing.

Remarks:

I have not seen females with which this species can be associated.

Figures

Figs 128-131: Pristaulacus singulus. 128 Head, front. 129 Head, dorsal. 130 Mesosoma, lateral. 131 Mesosoma, dorsal.

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 152-157: Pristaulacus ruficruris. 152 Head, front. 153 Head, dorsal. 154 Head and anterior mesosoma, lateral. 155 Mesosoma, dorsal. 156 Mesosoma, lateral. 157 Wings.