Aulacidae of the southwestern United States , Mexico , and Central America ( Hymenoptera ) With 183 figures

Forty-two species of Aulacidae are recorded from the southwestern United States (southern Texas, New Mexico, Arizona), Mexico, and Central America, including 11 species of Aulacus JURINE and 31 species of Pristaulacus KIEFFER. Eight species are known from southwestern United States, 27 from Mexico, one from Guatemala, three from Honduras, one from Nicaragua, 11 from Costa Rica, and two from Panama. Taxa included are: Aulacus maculosus, n. sp. (Costa Rica); A. ochreus SMITH, 2005 (Costa Rica); A. fascius, n. sp. (Mexico); A. veracruz, n. sp. (Mexico); A. costaricensis, n. sp. (Costa Rica); A heredia, n. sp. (Costa Rica), A. elongatus, n. sp. (Panama, Costa Rica); A. leon, n. sp. (Mexico); A. whartoni, n. sp. (Mexico); A. aneurus WALKLEY, 1952 (US: New Mexico); A. dispilis TOWNES, 1950 (US: Texas); Pristaulacus argutus, n. sp. (Mexico); P. tria, n. sp. (Costa Rica); P. maculatus (SCHLETTERER, 1889) (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama); P. ruficollis (CAMERON, 1887) (Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico); P. auricomus, n. sp. (Honduras, Mexico, US: Arizona); P. virga, n. sp. (Mexico); P. punctum, n. sp. (Costa Rica); P. decorus, n. sp. (Mexico); P. aquilus, n. sp. (Mexico); P. torridus (BRADLEY, 1908) (US: Texas); P. anteala, n. sp. (Costa Rica); P. triclora, n. sp. (Mexico); P. nigricoxae, n. sp. (Mexico); P. unimacula, n. sp. (Mexico); P. postala, n. sp. (Mexico); P.stangei, n. sp. (Mexico); P. tenuis, n. sp. (Mexico); P. decolorus, n. sp. (Mexico); P. singulus, n. sp. (Costa Rica); P. candidus, n. sp. (Mexico); P. omninoniger, n. sp. (Mexico); P. townesi, n. sp. (Mexico), P. arizonicus (TOWNES, 1950) (US: Arizona); P. rufitarsis (CRESSON, 1864) (US: Arizona, California, New Mexico); P. ruficruris, n. sp. (Mexico, US: Texas); P. parkeri, n. sp. (Mexico); P. mexiuni, n. sp. (Mexico, US: Arizona, Texas); P. totoferrugineus, n. sp. (Mexico); P. hespenheidei, n. sp. (Mexico); P. tamaulipas, n. sp. (Mexico); P.annulatus KIEFFER, 1911 (Mexico). Aulacus hyalinipennis WESTWOOD, 1841, is placed in species incertae sedis of Aulacidae.


Introduction
The Aulacidae occur in all regions of the world but are most diverse in the Oriental, Australian, and Neotropical regions. SMITH (2001) cataloged 157 species in three genera, of which Aulacus JURINE, 1807, and Pristaulacus KIEFFER, 1900, are worldwide and Panaulux BENOIT, 1954, is restricted to Africa. The catalog apparently stimulated some interest in the family; subsequently, 28 species have been added to the world fauna from Australia (JENNINGS et al. 2004a, b), New Guinea (JENNINGS and AUSTIN 2006), New Caledonia (JENNINGS et al. 2004c), China (HE et al. 2002;TURRISI 2005;SUN and SHENG 2007a, b), Africa (TURRISI 2006), the Palearctic Region (TURRISI 2007), and South America (SMITH 2005a, b). The aulacid fauna of Mexico and Central America has never been studied. SMITH (2001) listed only three species, Aulacus hyalinipennis WESTWOOD from Mexico, Pristaulacus ruficollis (CAMERON) from Guatemala, and P. annulatus (KIEFFER) from Mexico. SMITH (2005) added two species from Central America, Aulacus ochreus SMITH from Costa Rica and Pristaulacus maculatus (SCHLETTERER) from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. Here, I treat 42 species from this region, including several from southwestern United States that could occur in Mexico. Members of Aulacidae may be recognized by their characteristic habitus (Fig. 168). Though ichneumonid-like in appearance, the broad costal cell, metasoma inserted high on the propodeum, the somewhat dome-shaped head, and elongated "neck" are typical. They can be separated from the other two families of Evanioidea, Evaniidae and Gasteruptiidae, by the presence of vein 2m-cu in the forewing (Figs 4,163), the antennae inserted low on the face, near the lower margin of the eyes (as in Fig. 18), lack of a jugal lobe in the hind wing, and elongate propleuron (as in Fig. 154). For a guide to separation of Aulacidae from other Evanioidea and Hymenoptera, see the books by HANSON and GAULD (2006) and FERNÁNDEZ and SHARKEY (2007) and the chapters therein by SMITH (2006SMITH ( , 2007, MASON (2006), and GAULD and HANSON (2006). Aulacids are endoparasitic koinobionts of wood-boring insects, primarily Cerambycidae, Buprestidae (Coleoptera) and Xiphydriidae (Hymenoptera). Xiphydriids in this region are rare, only one species being known from Costa Rica (SMITH 1988); thus, most, if not all the species of aulacids are probably parasitoids of wood-boring beetles. Clues to probable hosts are indicated on label data for only five species: Aulacus aneureus (WALKLEY) reared from trees infested with Dendroctonus (Scolytidae); A. digitalis TOWNES emerging from wood of Celtis and Pithecellobium; Pristaulacus maculatus (SCHLETTERER) taken on fallen branches of Pentaclethra, and one specimen labeled "ex Trachysomus thomsoni" (Cerambycidae); P. decorus, n. sp., ex Vitex, Oxalis, and Scoparia (though probably swept while visiting those plants); and P. ruficruris, n. sp., ex Acacia rigidula.
I have examined types of all species except for Aulacus hyalinipennis WESTWOOD, which could not be located (see incertae sedis). See SMITH (2001) for generic synonymy. Terminology follows that of HUBER and SHARKEY (1993). Locality data for holotypes are quoted from the labels, and data for paratypes and material examined are given essentially as they appear on the labels. So far as is known, sexual dimorphism is not significant in Aulacidae. Therefore, some species, Aulacus heredia, Pristaulacus aquilis, P. tenuis, P. declorus, P. singularis, P. omninoniger, and P. townesi, are described only from males. Females, when encountered, should not be difficult to associate with these males. Explanations of and characters used for species discrimination are as follows.

Measurements:
Length is the length of the body from the front of the head to the end of the metasoma and excludes the ovipositor. Ovipositor length is from the base of the ovipositor to the apex. These 1.
Tarsal claws simple or with minute inner tooth (one species with one large inner tooth,

Remarks:
The female and male are identical in color and structure except that the males are slightly larger than the females. The distinctive wing maculation is unique to this species.

Diagnosis:
Yellow orange with brownish marks; forewing with apex black; head shining with large, separated punctures, strongly narrowing behind eyes; mesonotum shining with large separated punctures, without carinae; hind coxa smooth and shining.

Female:
Length, 6.0 mm; forewing length, 4.0 mm; ovipositor length, 9.0 mm. Color: Entirely yellowish with darker more brownish areas on antenna, apical halves of metasomal segments, tibiae, and dorsum of mesosoma. Wings hyaline with apex of forewing black (Fig. 8); veins and stigma black. Head: Antennal length nearly 3.0X head width. Eyes in front view slightly converging below, lower intraocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space 0.2X eye height (Fig. 5).
Eyes large, close to posterior margin of head in lateral view (Fig. 7). Head in dorsal view, short and strongly narrowing behind eyes; length behind eyes about 0.3X eye length (Fig. 6). Shining, punctate, almost glabrous with short setae arising from punctures; vertex and gena with widely scattered punctures, separated by flat shining interspaces several times diameter of a puncture; punctures denser on lower half of frons, separated by ridges or flat, shining interspaces mostly less than diameter of a puncture (Figs 5-7). Mesosoma: Shining, smooth, glabrous, mostly punctate with short setae arising from punctures. Propleuron shining, small punctures posteriorly. Mesoscutum rounded anteriorly, with punctures separated by flat, shining interspaces equal to or about 2X puncture diameter on mesoscutal middle lobe, less dense and separated by several times puncture diameter on lateral lobes, dense and separated by about diameter of a puncture on mesoscutellum; axilla almost impunctate; notauli distinct and meeting posteriorly before reaching transscutal articulation (Fig. 9). Pronotum with lower half almost impunctate, upper half with scattered punctures and strigate at center; mesepisternum, metapleuron, and propodeum evenly closely punctate with punctures separated by shining interspaces (Fig. 10) (Fig. 14). Head from above straight behind eyes for short distance, then narrowing, distance behind eyes 0.7X eye length (Fig. 15). Vertex and frons with widely scattered punctures, separated by flat shining interspaces two or more times puncture diameters; punctures less dense on gena (Figs 14,15  Etymology: Based on the State of Veracruz, Mexico; a noun in apposition.

Remarks:
The large size (14 mm), orange coloration and smooth, unsculptured hind coxae should distinguish this species. The size is rather large for an Aulacus species. Etymology: Named for Costa Rica, the country of collection.

Remarks:
The holotype and paratype have most of the hind tarsus white. The other specimen has the hind tarsus black, and I prefer not to include it in the type series although all other features are identical to the types.
Aulacus heredia SMITH, new species

Male:
Length, 6.0 mm; forewing length 5.0 mm. Color: Head and mesosoma orange with blackish spot behind ocelli; propleuron, coxae, hind legs except white hind tarsus; and metasomal tergites blackish. Forewing hyaline with apical margin black; stigma and veins dark orange to brown. Head: Antennal length 3.3X head width. Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.3X eye height (Fig. 22). From above head long and gradually narrowing behind eyes, head behind eyes subequal to eye length (Fig. 23 Etymology: Named for Heredia, the province in Costa Rica where this species was collected; a noun in apposition.

Remarks:
This is a small, orange, smooth and shining species and is therefore not likely to be the male of one of the described females in this family.

Female:
Length, holotype 11.5 mm, paratype 7.5 mm; forewing length, holotype 8.5 mm, paratype 5.5 mm; ovipositor length holotype 9.0 mm, paratype 6.0 mm. Color: Antenna black, scape orange. Head orange, apex of mandible black. Mesosoma black. Legs with coxae and trochanters black; fore-and mid femora with basal half blackish, apical half orange, hind femur black; foreand midtibiae orange brown, hind tibia with basal fifth white, apical four-fifths black; tarsi whitish. Metasoma black, first segment dark brown on sides. Ovipositor sheath black with white band. Wings hyaline, veins and stigma black; forewing with black spot at apex. Head: Antennal length 2.5X head width. Lower interocular distance 0.8X eye height, inner margins of eyes slightly converging below; malar space 0.2X eye height (Fig. 26). From above, straight and long behind eyes, length of head behind eyes in dorsal view almost subequal to slightly longer than eye length (

Etymology:
The name refers to the unusually long head of this species.

Remarks:
Aulacus elongatus and A. ochreus are the only known two species with large punctures on both the head and mesosoma. In A. elongatus, the head is unusually long behind the eyes (Figs

Etymology:
The name is from Nueva León, a noun in apposition.

Remarks:
This species and A. dispilis are similar. In A. leon, the ovipositor length is subequal to the forewing length, the ovipositor sheath has a white band, and the propodeum is black. In A. dispilis, the ovipositor length is longer than the forewing length, the ovipositor sheath is black, and the mesosoma is orange with black, if present, confined to the lower portion of the pleura.
Aulacus whartoni SMITH, new species  Diagnosis: Head and mesosoma black; legs orange, metasoma orange; wings entirely hyaline. Head shining, without genal carina. Mesonotum with coarse transverse carinae. Hind coxa smooth, shining. Tarsal claws with one inner tooth near base, longer and broader than outer tooth. Ovipositor length slightly shorter than forewing length.

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.

Diagnosis:
Head red; mesosoma mostly black; wing with dark spot under stigma. Pronotum with one anteriorly projecting tooth. Head shining with few small punctures on frons. Hind coxa punctate.

Female:
Length, 8.0 mm; ovipositor length, 6.0 mm; forewing length 6.0 mm. Color: Antenna black, scape cark reddish. Head red with apex of mandible and palpi black. Mesosoma black with pronotum mostly reddish except anterior portion at center and upper surface of propleuron reddish. Metasoma black with venter of first segment reddish brown; ovipositor sheath black with central white band. Legs reddish brown with coxae, trochanters, extreme bases of femora, and hind tibia and hind tarsus black. Wings hyaline, extreme apex of forewing with black spot and with small, faint infuscate spot below stigma (Fig. 56); veins and stigma black. Head: Antennal length about 2.7X head width. Eyes in front view subparallel, lower interocular distance about 0.3X eye height; malar space a little less than 0.3X eye height (Fig. 53). In dorsal view, head broad and slightly narrowing behind eyes; length behind eyes about 0.7X eye length (Fig. 55). Occipital carina very narrow, less than 0.3X diameter of an ocellus. Vertex and gena glabrous, smooth, shining, without punctures; vertex without pubescence and very sparse pubescence on gena; frons shining with small punctures separated by flat interspaces one to several times diameter of punctures; pubescence dense on frons, malar area, and clypeus (Figs 53-55). Mesosoma: Propleuron shining, punctate rugose. Anterior margin of pronotum with one anteroventrally projecting tooth. Coarsely sculptured, pubescence rather sparse, densest on mesoscutal lateral lobes, scutellum, and mesepisternum. Mesonotum with short, acute, outwardly protruding anterolateral projections; mesoscutal middle lobe aerolate, with 3 or 4 irregular transverse carinae forming 4 large punctures at each side lobe; axillula more finely reticulate punctate. Pronotum with oblique scrobiculate area, anteroventrally finely reticulate punctate, dorsoposteriorly coarsely reticulate; mesepisternum finely reticulate punctate; mesepimeron scrobiculate; metapleuron and propodeum coarsely reticulate; propodeum dorsally with large punctures than laterally (Figs 57,58). Upper surface of hind coxa densely punctate, with transverse carinae on apical half; about 1.7X longer than broad; inner surface with ovipositor guide near apex. Hind basitarsus slightly longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Tarsal claws with 3 teeth and small basal lobe. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by long vein Rs+M (Fig. 56). Hind wing veins absent (as in Fig. 157). Metasoma: Shining, impunctate; pubescence densest on distal halves of segments 4 to apex. Ovipositor length about equal to forewing length.  Hosts: Specimens from Costa Rica were collected on a fallen branch of Pentaclethra macroloba (Willd.) Kuntze (Fabaceae). A specimen from Panama is labeled "ex Trachysomus thomsoni," which probably refers to Trachysomus thomsoni Aurivillius (Cerambycidae).

Remarks:
This is a widespread species occurring from Brazil and Peru north to Nicaragua.

Diagnosis:
Head black; mesosoma red anterior to transscutal articulation; forewing with only black apical spot. Pronotum with one anteriorly projecting tooth. Head with frons shining, only few small punctures. Hind coxa punctate.

Female:
Length, 10.0 mm; forewing length, 7.5 mm; ovipositor length, 8.0 mm. Color: Antenna black, scape may be dark orange. Head black; clypeus, mandible except apex, malar area all or in part dark orange. Mesosoma black with mesoscutum and most or all of pronotum red; narrow anterior margin and lower half of pronotum may be blackish; upper surface of Propleuron and spot on mesepimeron may be dark orange. Legs mostly black; fore-and midtibia and tarsus orange to dark brown. Metasoma black. Ovipositor sheath black with white band near apex. Wings hyaline, veins and stigma black; forewing with black spot under stigma and black spot at apex. Head: Antennal length 2.5X head width. Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space 0.3X eye height (Fig. 59). From above head behind eyes gradually narrowing, head 0.8X eye length (Fig. 60). Vertex and gena smooth and shining; frons densely punctate, most punctures at center separate by short ridges shorter or equal to puncture diameters; with fine white pubescence, densest and longest on lower frons, malar area, and clypeus (Figs 59, 60). Mesosoma: Mesoscutum with acute anterolateral teeth, each slightly projecting outward toward apex; mesoscutum reticulate anteriorly, posteriorly with two transverse scrobiculate rows; axilla and lateral portions of mesoscutellum reticulate, mesoscutellum with several transverse carinae at center. Propleuron smooth, shining, with few fine punctures; pronotum with one anteriorly projecting tooth, mostly reticulate, more punctate anteriorly; mesopleuron reticulate, narrowly scrobiculate posteriorly, mesepimeron with small finely punctate area, metapleuron and propodeum reticulate (Figs 62). Hind coxa shining, 2.0X longer than broad, with punctures; shallow ovipositor groove near apex on inner surface. Tarsal claws with 3 teeth and small basal lobe. Hind basitarsus subequal in length to remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by long crossvein Rs+M. Hind wing veins absent (as in Fig. 157). Metasoma: Shiny; fine white pubescence on gastric segment 4 to apex. Ovipositor length about 1.1X forewing length.

Remarks:
Pristaulacus ruficollis is very similar in size and structure to P. maculatus. In P. ruficollis, the mesosoma is red only anterior to the transscutal articulation, the ovipositor is slightly longer than the forewing length, and there is never a dusky or dark spot below the stigma of the forewing.

Diagnosis:
Head and body with golden pubescence, with black and yellow pattern. Wings with anterior half dark brown, posterior half paler to hyaline. Head shining. Mesonotum with transverse carinae. Hind coxa shining with cross striations at posterior.

Female:
Length, 16.0 mm; forewing length, 12.0 mm; ovipositor length, 14.0 mm. Color: Covered with golden pubescence. Antenna black with segments 1-3 yellow; anterior margin of clypeus brown. Mesosoma black with following yellow: lateral areas on mesoscutal middle lobe, lateral spot on each lateral lobe; axilla; anterior third of pronotum; spot on upper metapleuron; diagonal streak above hind coxa; semicircle on propodeum around metasomal insertion. Fore-and midlegs yellow with coxae and trochanters black; hind leg black with second trochanteral segment and extreme base of tibia brown and stripe on inner surface of hind tibia and hind tarsus yellow except blackish apical one or two segments. Metasoma black; first segment yellow ventrally. Ovipositor sheath yellow brown, apex black. Head: Antennal length 2.0X head width. Lower interocular distance 1.2X eye height; malar space 0.3X eye height (Fig. 63). Head behind eyes from above long, straight, head behind eyes 1.3X eye length (Fig. 66). Occipital carina narrow, about a fifth or less diameter of an ocellus. Gena, vertex, and frons somewhat dull, finely punctate; dense, long golden pubescence, densest and longest on anterior vertex through frons to malar area and clypeus (Figs 63, 66). Mesosoma: Covered with rather dense, golden pubescence, half length or less than that on front of head. Anterior mesoscutum rounded; mesoscutum reticulate, with faint transverse sculpture on middle lobe and middle lobe separated from lateral lobe by narrow scrobiculate area. Propleuron shining, finely punctate; pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth, reticulate posteriorly with smooth, shining area anteriorly; mesopleuron reticulate with faint carinae on lower half, smoother area toward posterior margin, and very narrow scrobiculate area posteriorly; metapleuron mostly with diagonal carinae; propodeum shining, median groove on dorsum, transverse carinae below metasomal insertion, laterally with diagonal carina dorsally  and transverse carinae ventrally (Figs 65, 66). Hind coxa stout, less than 2X longer than broad, shining with few transverse carinae on apical half; nearly perpendicular ovipositor groove near apex on inner surface. Tarsal claws with 6 teeth, basal most tooth very small. Hind basitarsus 1.2X length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by long vein Rs+M. Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (as in Fig. 110). Metasoma: Smooth, shining, with fine white pubescence on segments 2 to apex. Ovipositor length 1.2X forewing length. Etymology: From the Latin auricomus, meaning with golden hairs, referring to the long, dense, golden pubescence of the head and mesosoma.

Remarks:
The long, golden hairs of the head and mesosoma, the infuscate anterior half of the forewing, and the black mesosoma with yellow maculae as shown in Figs 65 and 66, are distinctive for this large species.  Diagnosis: Head, mesosoma, and legs orange. Forewing black with hyaline band at center basal to stigma and hyaline band near apex apical to stigma. Ovipositor with a white band. Head smooth and shining. Mesoscutum with 8-9 coarse transverse carinae. Hind coxa smooth and shining. Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth.

Female:
Length, 9.0 mm; forewing length 7.0 mm; ovipositor length 7.0 mm. Color: Antenna with scape and pedicel orange, flagellomeres 1-4 black (missing beyond 4). Head and body orange; apex of mandible and infuscate to black band at apex of first metasomal tergite. Ovipositor brownish with white band near apex. Forewing (Fig. 71) with base, broad band below stigma, and apex black, hyaline areas between base and band below stigma and between band below stigma and apical dark stripe; stigma mostly yellow, infuscate toward base. Hind wing (Fig. 71)  distance subequal to eye height; malar space 0.4X eye height (Fig. 67). Head behind eyes straight then sharply narrowing, head length 0.8X eye length (Fig. 68). Occipital carina very narrow, hardly discernable, less than a fifth diameter on an ocellus. Shining, almost impunctate. With fine white pubescence, densest on interantennal area, lower inner orbits, malar area, and clypeus (Figs 67, 68). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron smooth and shining. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae, 8-10 carinae on middle lobe; axilla reticulate, mesoscutellum with 3 or 4 arc-shaped transverse carinae, more reticulate laterally; pronotum with narrow scrobiculate band on anterior margin, center shining with diagonal band of fine carinae, reticulate dorsoposteriorly; mesepisternum finely punctate with coarse reticulations on lower third; mesepimeron shining with narrow scrobiculate band on posterior margin; metapleuron finely reticulate on dorsal half, coarsely reticulate on ventral half; propodeum reticulate (Figs 69,70). Hind coxa smooth and shining, 2.5X longer than broad, with diagonal ovipositor guide near apex on inner surface. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth. Hind basitarsus 1.2X longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs contiguous, without vein Rs+M (Fig. 71). Hind wing veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (as in Fig. 110). Metasoma: Shining, with fine white pubescence on tergite 2 to apex. Ovipositor length subequal to forewing length.
Etymology: From the Latin virga, meaning stripe, referring to the striped-or banded-color pattern of the wings.

Remarks:
This is one of three species with black-banded forewings. It is separated from the other two, P. punctum and P. decorus, by the entirely orange color, lack of an anteriorly projecting tooth on the pronotum, and the transverse carinae of the mesoscutum.  Diagnosis: Antenna and ovipositor black; mesosoma black. Forewing black with hyaline band at center basal to stigma and hyaline band near apex apical to stigma. Head long, extended, behind eyes, shining. Mesosoma shining with closely-set punctures, without carinae. Hind coxa smooth and shining. Pronotum with two anteriorly projecting teeth, dorsal one small.

Female:
Length, 10.5 mm; forewing length 8.0 mm; ovipositor length, 5.5 mm. Color: Antenna black; scape orange. Head orange with area from anterior half or more of vertex through frons to clypeus black; apex of mandible black. Legs orange; coxae, mid-and hind femora, and hind tibia dark brown to black; tarsi yellowish. Mesosoma black. Metasoma black with orange spot at base of first tergum; ovipositor black. Forewing with base, broad band below stigma widening toward posterior margin, and apex black; two bands between black areas hyaline to slightly yellowish (Fig. 76). Hind wing black at base, hyaline toward apex. Forewing stigma black, more amber on apical half; veins black, those in hyaline areas more yellowish. Head: Antennal length 2.7X head width. Lower interocular distance 1.1X eye height; malar space 0.4X eye height (Fig. 72). Head from above long behind eyes, straight then gradually narrowing, 1.1X eye length (Fig. 73). Occipital carina very narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Head smooth and shining, very fine punctures on frons, with fine white pubescence, densest on frons to clypeus and malar area (Figs 72, 73). Mesosoma: Pronotum with two anteriorly projecting teeth near dorsum. Propleuron smooth and shining. Mesosoma entirely, evenly reticulate; pronotum shining anteroventrally, with diagonal scrobiculate band at center, finely reticulate dorsoposteriorly; mesepisternum shining and finely punctate on upper half, more reticulate on lower half; mesepimeron shining with scrobiculate band on posterior margin; metapleuron finely punctate on upper half, coarsely reticulate on ventral half; propodeum reticulate, smooth and shining above adjacent to metasomal insertion (Figs 74,75). Hind coxa smooth, shining, 2.2X longer than broad; shallow ovipositor groove at apex in inner surface. Hind basitarsus 1.1X length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs contiguous or separated by very short vein Rs+M; costal cell broad, about 1.2X broader than stigma (Fig. 76). Tarsal claws with 6 teeth. Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (as in Fig. 110). Metasoma: Shining; fine white pubescence and fine punctures on segment 2 to apex. Ovipositor length about 0.7X forewing length. Etymology: From the Latin punctum, referring to the punctured or pitted mesoscutum.

Remarks:
This species is close to P. decorus, and both run to the same couplet in the key. They are similar in structure, but differ by the more extensive black color in P. punctum. Also, P. punctum is known only from Costa Rica and P. decorus only from Mexico. I have not seen specimens in between, and it is possible they represent extremes of the same species.

Diagnosis:
Head black with head black between eyes; mesosoma black with pronotum orange. Forewing black with hyaline band at center basal to stigma and hyaline band near apex apical to stigma. Head long behind eyes, shining. Mesosoma with anterolateral lobes of mesonotum roundly produced; mesonotum shining, with large closely set punctures. Hind coxa smooth, shining. Pronotum with 2 anteriorly projecting teeth, dorsal on e small.

Female:
Length, 13.0 mm; forewing length 10.0 mm; ovipositor length, 6.0 mm. Color: Antenna black; scape and pedicel orange. Head orange with large black area from just behind ocelli through frons to about level of antenna.; apex of mandible black. Mesosoma black with propleuron and pronotum orange. Legs orange with hind femur and tibia dark brown; tarsi yellowish. Metasoma orange; ovipositor sheath black. Forewing with base, broad band below stigma, and apex black; stigma brownish (Fig. 81). Hind wing hyaline at base, becoming black toward apex. Veins black, those in hyaline parts yellowish to brown. Head: Antennal length 2.7X head width. Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.3X eye height (Fig. 77). Head from above long behind eyes, straight, length of head 1.2X eye length (Fig. 78). Occipital carina very narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Smooth and shining, few fine punctures on frons; pubescence densest on fronts to clypeus and malar area, sparse elsewhere (Figs 77, 78). Mesosoma: Pronotum with two anteriorly projecting teeth near dorsum. Propleuron smooth and shining. Mesonotum shining with large punctures, distance between most punctures more than a puncture diameter (Fig. 80); pronotum with broad smooth and shining diagonal band, coarsely reticulate above and below band; mesopleuron with dorsoanterior finely punctate area, rest coarsely reticulate; metapleuron and propodeum coarsely reticulate (Fig. 79). Hind coxa smooth and shining, few indistinct carinae laterally, 2.0X longer than broad; ovipositor groove on inner surface indistinct. Hind basitarsus subequal to length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Tarsal claw with 6 teeth and indistinct basal lobe; lower tooth small and near basal lobe (Fig. 82). Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs contiguous, without vein Rs+M; costal cell broad, 1.2 times broader than stigma (Fig. 81). Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (Fig. 81). Metasoma: Shining; fine white pubescence and fine punctures on segments 2 to apex. Ovipositor length about 0.6X forewing length.
Male: Length, 13.0 mm; forewing length, 13.0 mm. Color and structure similar to female except: Black on head ends above antennal insertions; propleuron may be black; metasoma may be black at base or almost entirely black. Mesosoma orange with narrow posterior line on pronotum, upper mesepisternum, mesepimeron, metapleuron, spot on lower propodeum, and areas lateral to mesoscutellum black. Legs orange; tarsi more yellowish. Metasoma orange. Wings uniformly black; veins and stigma black. Head: Antennal length 2.6X head width. Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space 0.3X eye height (Fig. 83). Occipital carina very narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Mostly shining, covered with fine white pubescence; vertex and gena with fine punctures (Fig. 84); frons, interantennal area, and clypeus more reticulate to punctate and slightly duller than vertex with fine microsculpture (Fig. 83). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Mostly, uniformly coarsely reticulate (Figs 85, 86); propleuron smooth, shining; pronotum with somewhat scrobiculate diagonal band; posterior margin of mesopleuron scrobiculate. Hind coxa with coarse, transverse carinae; about 2.2X longer than broad. Tarsal claws with 6 teeth and small basal lobe, basal lobe appearing as a sixth tooth. Hind basitarsus 1.2X longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with long vein Rs+M separating cells 1M and 1Rs (as in Fig. 91). Hind wing with veins distinct, vein M separates cells Cu and R1+Rs (as in Fig. 104). Metasoma: Shining; fine white pubescence and fine punctures on segment 2 to apex. Etymology: From the Latin aquilus, meaning dark colored, referring to the entirely dark wings.

Remarks:
This large, shining, orange male cannot be associated with females I have seen, and it is the only species I know that has the forewing entirely black without hyaline areas.

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.

Female:
Length, 14.0 mm; forewing length, 12.0 mm; ovipositor length, 7.5 mm. Color: Antenna black; scape orange. Head orange with large black area on frons, extending from hind ocelli to above antenna with extension through interantennal area to clypeus, with inner orbits narrowly orange; apex of mandible black. Mesosoma black; Propleuron orange ventrally; band on posterior margin of pronotum and laterally on anterior margin, and tegula orange. Legs with coxae and most of trochanters black; basal part of mid-and most of hind femora black except apex of hind femur; tibiae and tarsi yellow orange. Metasoma black with narrow posterior margins of segments and base of first segment orange. Ovipositor sheath yellowish with apex black. Forewing with anterior half black, posterior half hyaline (Fig. 97); costa, stigma, and vein 2r of forewing dark orange, remaining veins black; hind wing hyaline to slightly yellowish; veins and stigma brown. Head: Antennal length 2.2X head width. Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space 0.3X eye height (Fig. 93). Occipital carina very narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Shining, with fine white pubescence; vertex and gena with fine punctures (Fig. 94); frons more densely punctate than vertex with close punctures, interspaces ridgelike and much shorter than puncture diameters; interantennal area and clypeus finely punctate (Fig. 93). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Mesoscutal middle lobe with transverse carinae; mesoscutal lateral lobes, axillae, and mesoscutellum more reticulate (Fig. 96). Propleuron shining; pleura and propodeum finely reticulate, dosoanterior area of mesopleuron finely punctate (Fig. 95). Hind coxa densely punctured with distinct transverse carinae; about 2.1X longer than broad. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth and small basal lobe. Hind basitarsus 1.4X longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs contiguous not separated by vein Rs+M (Fig. 97). Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs separated by vein M (Fig. 97). Metasoma: Shining; fine white pubescence on segment 2 to apex. Ovipositor length about 0.7X forewing length. Etymology: From the Latin ante (anterior) and ala (wing), referring to the dark-colored anterior portion of the forewing.

Remarks:
See remarks under P. torridus.  Diagnosis: Antenna orange. Mesosoma orange with pleura black; coxae and femora black. Forewing black with more or less three hyaline areas, at center of anterior margin basal to stigma, on anteroapical margin apical to stigma, and on posterior margin posterior to stigma. Head shining, frons punctate. Mesonotum with large closely set punctures. Hind coxa with punctures and cross striations. Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth.

Female:
Length, 12.0 mm; forewing length, 10.5 mm; ovipositor length, 6.5 mm. Color: Antenna orange; pedicel and first and apical flagellomeres brown. Head orange; interocellar area and apex of mandible black. Mesosoma black with propleuron, most of pronotum except anteroventral corner, mesoscutum, and mesoscutellum orange. Legs with coxae and trochanters black, forefemur brown, mid-and hind femora black; tibiae and tarsi yellow. Metasoma dark orange; black spot at base of first segment. Ovipositor sheath yellow with apex black. Forewing with black and hyaline pattern; black with oval area near anterior margin basal to stigma, anterior portion of radial cell, large area on apicoventral area, and extreme posterior margin hyaline; Costa, subcosta and marginal radial veins orange, remaining veins black in black areas, brownish in hyaline areas. Hind wing blackish with anterior half more hyaline, veins brownish in paler areas, black in black areas. Head: Antennal length 2.2X head width. Lower interocular distance 1.1X eye height, malar apace 0.3X eye height (Fig. 98). Occipital carina very narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Head from above rounded and narrowing behind eyes, distance behind eyes subequal to eye length. Shining with fine white pubescence. Vertex and gena with scattered fine punctures (Fig. 99); frons reticulate; interantennal area and clypeus punctate (Fig. 98). Mesosoma: Propleuron shining with few scattered punctures. Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Mesonotum reticulate; axillae and mesoscutellum with few large punctures, interspaces on mesoscutellum mostly wider than puncture diameters; few fine transverse carinae at center of mesoscutellum (Fig. 101); mesepimeron more finely reticulate than rest of mesosoma, posterior margin scrobiculate (Fig. 100). Hind coxa about 2X longer than broad, densely punctured with distinct transverse carinae; with diagonal ovipositor guide near apex on inner surface. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth and an acute basal lobe, basal lobe appearing as a sixth tooth. Tarsal claws apparently with 6 teeth, basal most tooth small, appearing as basal lobe. Hind basitarsus 1.3X longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with long vein Rs+M separating cells 1M and 1Rs (as in Fig. 91). Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (as in Fig. 110). Metasoma: Segments 2 to apex with fine white pubescence and finely punctate. Ovipositor length 0.6X forewing length.
Etymology: From the Latin tri (three) and clora (clear), referring to the three yellowish to hyaline spots on the forewing.

Remarks:
The maculation of the forewing, shining head with the reticulate frons, and reticulate mesoscutum are distinctive for this species.

Diagnosis:
Mesosoma with only mesonotum and pronotum orange. Legs with coxae black, rest orange. Forewing with anterior half black, posterior half paler, to hyaline. Head shining. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae. Hind coxae with punctures and cross striations. Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth.

Female:
Length, 10.0 mm; forewing length 10.0 mm; ovipositor length, 8.0 mm. Color. Antenna orange, pedicel and flagellar segment 3 and 4 black (broken past 4). Head orange with black spot on each side of occipital foramen. Mesosoma black; upper and lower surfaces of propleuron, pronotum except black spot on lower third, and mesonotum except black anterior margin and lateral sides of mesoscutellum orange. Legs orange with coxae black and foretrochanter brownish, mid-and hind trochanters black. Metasoma orange with apex of first segment and lateral areas of segments 3-5 blackish; ovipositor sheath orange with apex black. Forewing with anterior half black, posterior half hyaline to slightly yellowish, stigma dark orange with black at center, marginal radial vein and 2r orange, remaining veins black; hind wing almost uniformly blackish; veins and stigma black. Head: Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.3X eye height (Fig. 102).  Head from above straight behind eyes then narrowing posteriorly, length of head about 0.7X eye length (Fig. 103). Occipital carina very narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Shining with fine white pubescence, pubescence denser on lower inner orbits and malar area. Vertex and gena practically impunctate (Fig. 103); frons very finely reticulate (Fig. 102). Mesosoma: Anterior margin of pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Reticulate; propleuron shining, with few punctures laterally and dorsally; central diagonal band on pronotum and posterior margin of mesopleuron scrobiculate; mesepimeron with finer sculpture than rest of mesosoma (Figs 104,  105). Hind coxa about 2.1X longer than broad, densely punctured with distinct transverse carinae; diagonal ovipositor guide near apex on inner surface. Hind basitarsus 1.4X longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth plus small basal lobe, lower tooth smallest. Forewing with cells 1M and 2RS separated by long vein Rs+M (as in Fig. 91). Hind wing with cells Cu and R1+Rs separated by vein M (as in Fig. 104). Metasoma: Segments 2 to apex with fine white pubescence and with fine punctures. Ovipositor length 0.8X forewing length. Etymology: From the Latin niger (black) and coxae, referring the black coxae, contrasting with the bright orange of the rest of the legs.

Remarks:
The paratype has the interocellar area blackish, most of the hind femur black, and more black on the metasoma with the apical half of the first segment and the entire second segment black. Also, the transverse carinae on the mesoscutum are more distinct. See remarks under P. torridus.  Diagnosis: All orange except hind femur black. Wings black with paler to hyaline spot at center of anterior margin just basal to stigma. Head shining. Mesonotum densely punctate, without transverse carinae. Hind coxa smooth, shining. Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth.

Female:
Length, 11.0 mm; forewing length 9.0 mm; ovipositor length 6.0 mm. Color: Antenna with scape and pedicel orange, flagellar segments 2 and 3 black (broken beyond 4). Head orange. Mesosoma orange with posterior spot and narrow medial line on venter of propleuron, narrow anterior margin of pronotum, mesosternum, and extreme lower portion of metapleuron black. Legs with forecoxa black, mid-and hind coxae orange with black on inner surfaces; trochanters orange; femora black except extreme base and apex orange; fore-and midtibiae yellowish, hind tibia with basal half yellow, apical half black; tarsi yellow. Metasoma orange with lateral and ventral portions of segments 1-6 and medial spot on tergites 2-5 blackish; ovipositor sheath black with white streak on outer surface of basal half. Forewing almost completely black with hyaline to yellowish spot near anterior margin basal to stigma (Fig. 110); hind wing uniformly black; veins and stigma black. Head: Lower interocular distance 1.4X eye height, very slightly longer; malar space 0.25X eye height (Fig. 106). Occipital carina very narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Head from above long, roundly narrowing behind eyes, about subequal to eye length (Fig. 107). Shining, practically impunctate, with fine white pubescence (Figs 106, 107). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron shining, with few punctures laterally; rest of mesosoma shining, reticulate; hind margin of mesopleuron narrowly scrobiculate (Figs 108, 109). Hind coxa about 2X longer than broad; smooth and shining (Fig. 108). Tarsal claws with 5 teeth, lower tooth smallest. Hind basitarsus 1.1X length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs contiguous, without connecting vein Rs+M (Fig. 110). Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (Fig. 110). Metasoma: Segments 2 to apex with fine white pubescence and fine punctures. Ovipositor length about 0.7X forewing length. Etymology: From the Latin uni (one) and macula (spot), referring to the one hyaline spot on the forewing basal to the stigma.

Remarks:
The single hyaline spot at the anterocentral part of the forewing is not known in other Pristaulacus species.

Diagnosis:
All orange except antennal flagellum and hind femur black. Forewing with posterior half black, anterior half paler, to hyaline. Head shining. Mesonotum densely punctate without transverse carinae. Hind coxa smooth, shining. Pronotum with one short, blunt anteriorly projecting tooth.

Female:
Length, 14.0 mm; forewing length, 10.0 mm; ovipositor length, 7.0 mm. Color: Antenna with scape and pedicel orange, flagellar segment 3-5 black, 6 orange (broken beyond 6). Head, mesosoma, and metasoma orange with lateral portion of venter of segments 2-4 or 5 blackish. Legs orange; midfemur brownish; hind femur black except extreme apex orange; hind tibia brownish yellow, apex darkest; tarsi white with apical segment black. Ovipositor sheath black with white streak on outer surface of basal third. Forewing with anterior half hyaline to yellowish, posterior half black; hind wing black, somewhat paler on anterior half; stigma and anterior veins yellowish, veins black in black portion. Head: Lower interocular distance 1.1X eye height, very slightly longer; malar space about 0.3X eye height (Fig. 111). From above, head behind eyes roundly narrowing, length behind eyes about 0.9X eye length (Fig. 112). Occipital carina very small, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Entirely shining and practically impunctate with white pubescence; frons, interantennal area, and clypeus with very few fine scattered punctures (Figs 111,112). Mesosoma: Pronotum with one short, blunt anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron shining, smooth, with few fine punctures especially dorsally; rest of mesosoma shining, almost evenly reticulate with central diagonal band on pronotum and narrow posterior margin of mesopleuron somewhat scrobiculate (Figs 113, 114). Hind coxa about 2.0X longer than broad, smooth and shining. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth, lower tooth smallest. Hind basitarsus about 1.3X longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with very short vein Rs+M separating cells 1M and 1Rs (as in Fig. 157). Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (as in Fig. 110). Metasoma: Segments 2 to apex with fine white pubescence and fine punctures. Ovipositor length about 0.7X forewing length.
Etymology: From the Latin post (rear) and ala (wing), referring to the black posterior part of the forewing.

Remarks:
This is the only species I have seen that has the posterior half of the forewing black and the anterior half hyaline to yellowish.

Diagnosis:
All orange; antenna with white band. Forewing black with paler to hyaline spot at center of anterior margin just basal to stigma; costa and stigma orange. Head shining. Mesonotum densely punctate, without transverse carinae. Hind coxa smooth, shining, with very fine cross striations. Pronotum with a blunt anteriorly projecting tooth.

Female:
Length, 10.5 mm; forewing length, 9.0 mm; ovipositor length, 7.0 mm. Color: Antenna with scape and pedicel orange; flagellar segment 3 and outer surface of 4 and 5 black, inner surface of 4 and 5 and all of 6-7 orange, segments 8 and 9 white, segments 10 to apex black. Head, body, and legs orange; tarsi yellowish; ovipositor sheath black with white streak on outer surface of basal half. Forewing black at base and black central spot on apical half with intervening hyaline to yellowish spots from radial cell to stigma and posteriorly to ventral apical area (Fig. 119). stigma and veins in hyaline to yellowish part orange to brownish, those in black areas black; hind wing uniformly black, veins black. Head: Antennal length 2.5X head width. Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.3X eye height (Fig. 115). Head from above broad behind eyes, then roundly narrowing, head length about 0.7X eye length (Fig. 116). Occipital carina very small, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Shining with white pubescence, practically impunctate; few very fine widely scatter punctures on frons, slightly denser on supraclypeal area and clypeus (Figs 115, 116). Mesosoma: Anterior margin of pronotum with short, blunt anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron shining, with very fine scattered punctures. Rest of mesosoma shining, evenly reticulate, posterior margin of mesopleuron narrowly scrobiculate and upper part of pronotum and metapleuron more punctate (Figs 117, 118). Hind coxa smooth and shining, 2X longer than broad, with diagonal ovipositor guide near apex on inner surface. Hind basitarsus about 1.2X length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth, lower tooth smallest. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs contiguous not separated by vein Rs+M (Fig. 119). Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (as in Fig. 110). Metasoma: Segments 2 to apex with fine white pubescence and fine punctures. Ovipositor length 0.8X forewing length.

Remarks:
The paratype has the costal cell more infuscate than the yellowish costal cell of the holotype. I have not seen other species of Pristaulacus with the maculation as in Fig. 119.

Diagnosis:
Head yellow with black spot on vertex; mesosoma black, pronotum yellow; metasoma and legs yellow. Wings hyaline without black spots. Head shining. Mesosoma with anterolateral corners of mesonotum lobed; mesoscutal middle lobe with transverse carinae. Hind coxa shining, smooth. Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth.

Male:
Length, 12.0 mm; forewing length, 8.0 mm. Color: Antenna with scape and pedicel yellow, flagellar segments 3-5 black (segments beyond 5 missing). Head yellow with large black area on vertex and frons, black at center of vertex from near occipital carina touching upper inner margin of eyes, through ocelli to center of frons. Mesosoma black with propleuron and pronotum yellow orange. Legs yellow orange with black stripe on outer surface of hind tibia. Metasoma orange. Wings hyaline without black spots; veins and stigma brownish. Head: Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.25X eye height (Fig. 120). Head from above straight behind eyes then roundly narrowing, subequal to eye length (Fig. 121) less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Entirely shining with white pubescence and practically impunctate, with very few widely scattered fine punctures (Figs 120, 121). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron shining, impunctate. Mesonotum shining, mostly reticulate, mesoscutal middle lobe and mesoscutellum with faint transverse sculpturation at center; anterior lobes of mesoscutum roundly protuberant (Fig. 123). Pleura reticulate, posterior margin of mesopleuron narrowly scrobiculate (Fig. 122). Hind coxa nearly 3.0X longer than broad, smooth and shining. Hind basitarsus about 1.3X length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth, lower tooth smallest, and with small basal lobe. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs contiguous, not separated by vein Rs+M (as in Fig. 97); intercostal area about same width as stigma. 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.
Etymology: From the Latin, tenuis, referring to the slender appearance of the species.

Remarks:
This species resembles the male of P. decorus, but in P. tenuis the wings are clear, the coxae are long, nearly three times longer than broad, and the mesoscutal lobes are sculptured. The intercostal area is broad as in P. decorus, but it is about equal to the width of the stigma in P. tenuis whereas it is broader than the stigma in P. decorus.

Male:
Length, 6.5 mm; forewing length, 4.5 mm. Color: Antenna black with scape yellow. Head orange yellow with large area on vertex and frons black, black area from near occipital carina to upper inner orbits through ocelli to lower three-quarters of frons. Mesosoma black with propleuron orange yellow. Legs orange yellow with hind coxa and trochanter black, hind femur and hind tibia with black streak on outer surfaces, and hind tarsus brown. Metasoma black with second tergite with orange band and lateral orange areas on segments 3 and 4. Wings hyaline, without black spots; veins and stigma brownish. Head: Antennal length 4.0X head width. Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.3X eye height (Fig. 124). From above head behind eyes roundly narrowing, about 0.6X eye length (Fig. 125). Occipital carina very small, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Head smooth and shining with white pubescence, pubescence densest on lower frons, lower inner orbits, and malar area; practically impunctate, several small widely scattered punctures on frons (Figs 124, 125). Mesosoma: Pronotum with one anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron smooth and shining, few punctures on posterior half. Rest of mesonotum shining; mesoscutal middle lobe with about 6 transverse carinae; mesoscutal lateral lobe smooth, shining, reticulate posteriorly; axillae somewhat reticulate; mesoscutellum with several transverse carinae at center; pleura mostly reticulate with dorsoanterior area on mesopleuron and anterior band on metapleuron finely punctate (Figs 126, 127). Hind coxa long, 3.2X longer than broad, smooth and shining. Tarsal claws with 4 teeth, basal tooth may represent small acute basal lobe. Hind basitarsus 1.1X length of following tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by short Rs+M vein (as in Fig. 91). Hind wing with veins faint to absent (as in Fig. 157). Metasoma: Segments 2 to apex with fine white pubescence and fine punctures. Etymology: From the Latin adjective decolor, meaning without color, referring to the lack of black spots on the wings.

Remarks:
The forewing is entirely clear, without dark spots. I have not seen females with which this species can be associated.  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.
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.
Male: Length, 7.5 mm; forewing length, 5.0 mm. Color and structure similar to female. Etymology: From the Latin candidus, meaning bright, shining, referring to the texture of the head.

Remarks:
The entirely orange color, shining head and hind coxae, and presence of a tooth on the anterior margin of the pronotum separate this species from other mostly orange Pristaulacus.  Diagnosis: Entirely black. Forewing with black spot below stigma and black spot at apex. Head shining. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae. Hind coxa smooth, shining. Anterior margin of pronotum with anteriorly projecting tooth.

Female: Unknown.
Male: Length, 7.5 mm; forewing length, 5.0 mm. Color: Black with antennal scape (antenna missing beyond segment 8), spot on posterior margin of vertex, first metasomal segment, and legs beyond trochanters dark orange; hind femur, hind tibia, and hind tarsus brownish to black. Wings hyaline; forewing with black spot under stigma and black spot at apex; veins and stigma black. Head: Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.3X eye height (Fig. 136). From above, roundly narrowing behind eyes, about 0.7X eye length (Fig. 137). Occipital carina broad, nearly half diameter of an ocellus. Shining with fine white pubescence, pubescence densest on lower frons, lower inner orbits and malar area; vertex with very widely scattered punctures, much farther apart than puncture diameters; frons with punctures, those at center close together, otherwise similar to vertex (Figs 136, 137). Mesosoma: Pronotum with anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron shining, without sculpture. Mesoscutal middle lobe with somewhat transverse carinae, rest of mesonotum reticulate. Pleura mostly reticulate with ventroanterior portion of pronotum and upper portion of mesopleuron finely punctate and posterior margin of mesopleuron somewhat scrobiculate (Figs 138,139). Hind coxa about 3X longer than broad, shining, with very fine transverse carinae, especially evident on sides. Tarsal claws with 4 teeth, basal tooth very small, possibly representing small acute basal lobe. Hind basitarsus 1.2X length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by very short vein Rs+M (as in Fig. 91). Hind wing veins faint to absent (as in Fig. 157). Metasoma: Segment 2 to apex with fine pubescence and finely punctate. Etymology: From the Latin omnino (entirely) and niger (black), referring to the entirely black color of this species.

Remarks:
This species cannot be associated with described females. The black color is similar to P. annulatus, but P. omninoniger lacks punctures on the head, has a black spot under the stigma of the forewing, and has most of the legs beyond the trochanters brown to dark orange.

Diagnosis:
Entirely black with metasoma red and apex black. Forewing with black spot below stigma and black spot at apex. Head shining. Mesonotum dull, with dense punctures, some fine transverse carinae. Hind coxa dull, with cross striations. Anterior margin of pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth.

Male:
Length, 14.0 mm; forewing length, 9.5 mm. Color: Black; metasoma with apical 2/3 of first segment and segments 2 and 3 orange. Wings hyaline; forewing with black spot under stigma and black spot at apex; veins and stigma black. Head: Antennal length 2.2X head width. Lower interocular distance longer, 1.1X, eye height; malar space about 0.3X eye height (Fig. 140). From above, head behind eyes sharply roundly narrowing, length behind eyes about 0.8X eye length (Fig. 141). Occipital carina narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. Shining, rather evenly covered with white pubescence; vertex and gena with widely scattered punctures, separated by flat interspaces 2X or more puncture diameters; frons densely punctate with contiguous punctures; punctures of interantennal area and clypeus not as dense or close together as those on frons (Figs 140, 141). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron shining, with fine punctures. Mesonotum shining, almost evenly reticulate; pleura and propodeum reticulate with reticulations coarser on anteroventral portion of pronotum, and very fine on upper portion of metapleuron (Figs 142, 143). Hind coxa about 3.2X longer than broad; densely punctate, with transverse carinae. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth, lower tooth smallest and indistinct basal lobe. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs contiguous not separated by vein Rs+M (as in Fig. 97). Hind wing with veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs separated by vein M (as in Fig. 104

Remarks:
The color is similar to P. arizonicus and P. rufitarsus, both known from females. Pristaulacus townesi differs by the hyaline forewing with black below the stigma and at the apex, shining head, and narrow occipital carina.

Remarks:
This large black species with the metasoma partly orange has been found only in Arizona.  Aulacus rufitarsis CRESSON 1864: 134 (see SMITH 2001 for synonymy and subsequent references).

Diagnosis:
Wings uniformly lightly infuscate, without dark spots; head and mesosoma black, hind tarsus white to reddish, always paler than hind femur and tibia; head with widely scattered punctures; mesoscutum with transverse carinae. Tarsal claws with 3 teeth.

Remarks:
This is a widespread and common species in the coniferous forests of North America. The specimens from the mountains of southern Arizona and New Mexico are the southernmost known records, though it is likely to occur in Mexico. It can be separated from the other Nearctic species using the keys in TOWNES (1950) and SMITH (1996). Distribution records also are given in those publications.

Remarks:
The orange color and size are similar to P. totoferrugineus. Pristaulacus parkeri has the head and hind coxae smooth and shining as opposed to the punctate frons and punctate and striate hind coxae of P. totoferrugineus.  Female: Length, 7.5 mm; forewing length, 6.5 mm; ovipositor length, 7.0 mm. Color: Head orange, sometimes small black spots around or anterior to ocelli on frons; mesosoma black, usually propleuron, pronotum, and mesoscutum orange, propleuron may be black or partly black and sometimes black spot on lower pronotum. Legs black with fore-and midfemora and tibiae orange, hind tarsus white. Ovipositor sheath black. Wings hyaline, veins and stigma black; forewing with black spot under stigma and black spot at apex (Fig. 168). Head: Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.25X eye height (Fig. 164). From above, narrowing behind eyes, length of head about 0.6X eye length (Fig. 165). Occipital carina narrow, 0.2X or less diameter of an ocellus. Smooth and shining with white pubescence, pubescence densest on lower frons, lower inner orbits, and malar area. Gena and vertex impunctate (Fig. 165); frons practically impunctate, few very widely scattered punctures on lower half (Fig. 164). Mesosoma: Pronotum with anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron smooth and shining, impunctate. Mesonotum (Fig. 167) shining, mostly reticulate, sculpturation more transverse on mesoscutal middle lobe and middle of mesoscutellum; pronotum (Fig. 166) smooth and shining with few widely scattered punctures, more reticulate on posterior third; mesopleuron, metapleuron, and propodeum ( Fig. 166) reticulate with upper portion of metapleuron with small finely punctate area. Hind coxa about 3X longer than broad, smooth and shining. Tarsal claws with 5 teeth, lower tooth smallest. Hindbasitarsus slightly longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by short vein Rs+M (as in Fig. 157). Hind wing with veins faint to absent (as in Fig. 157). Metasoma: Smooth and shining; first segment long, etiolate. Ovipositor length 1.1X longer than forewing length (Fig. 168).

Male: Unknown.
Pristaulacus totoferrugineus SMITH, new species  Diagnosis: Entirely orange. Forewing with black spot below stigma and black at apex. Head shiny. Mesosoma reticulate, with some fine transverse carinae. Hind coxa with cross striations. Propleuron punctate. Anterior margin of pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth.

Female:
Length, 11.0 mm; forewing length, 9.5 mm; ovipositor length, 8.0 mm. Color: Orange. Ovipositor sheath black. Wings hyaline, veins and stigma black; forewing with black spot under stigma and black spot at apex. Head: Antennal length 2.1X head width. Lower interocular distance about 1.2X eye height; malar space about 0.3X eye height (Fig. 169). Occipital carina broad, nearly half diameter of an ocellus. From above, straight, then narrowing behind eyes, head behind eyes about 0.6X eye length (Fig. 170). Smooth and shining, with scattered fine white pubescence; vertex and gena with fine punctures, separated by distance of more than puncture diameters (Fig. 170); fine punctures on frons denser than those on vertex and separated by puncture diameters or less (Fig. 169). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron shining, punctate. Mesonotum (Fig. 172) mostly reticulate; mesoscutellum sculpture in transverse pattern; pleura and propodeum (Fig. 171) mostly reticulate, anterior margin of pronotum and small area on upper metapleuron less reticulate and finely punctate. Hind coxa dull, with transverse carinae, about 2.2X longer than wide (Fig. 171). Tarsal claws with 5 teeth and small basal lobe. Hind basitarsus 1.1X length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells 1M and 1Rs separated by short Rs+M vein (as in Fig. 157). Hind with veins faint, cells Cu and R1+Rs separated by vein M (as in Fig. 104 Etymology: From the Latin toto (all) and ferrugineus (rusty), referring to the entirely reddishorange coloration of this species.

Diagnosis:
Head and mesosoma orange with pleura and sterna black, legs orange with coxae and femora black; metasoma mostly black. Forewing with black spot below stigma and black at apex. Head smooth, shiny. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae. Hind coxa shining. Anterior margin of pronotum with one anteriorly projecting tooth.

Female:
Length, 7.0 mm; forewing length, 5.0 mm; ovipositor length, 4.5 mm. Color: Antenna black; scape and pedicel dark orange. Head and mesosoma orange with venter of propleuron, mesosternum, and lower lateral margins of propodeum black. Legs orange; coxae black, venter of forecoxa orange in one specimen; hindleg black with basal fifth of tibia and tarsus white. Metasoma with apical two-thirds of first segment and second segment mostly orange; basal third of first segment and segments 3 to apex black. Ovipositor sheath black. Head: Antennal length 1.8X head width. Lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space about 0.25X eye height (Fig. 173). Occipital carina narrow, less than a fifth diameter of an ocellus. From above, head narrowing behind eyes, about 0.6X eye length (Fig. 174). Smooth, shining, with white pubescence, pubescence densest above antennae, on lower inner orbits, and malar area (Fig. 173); gena and vertex with few, very widely scattered punctures, much farther apart than puncture diameters; frons with somewhat denser punctation than vertex (Fig. 173). Mesosoma: Pronotum with anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron shining, finely punctate. Mesoscutal middle lobe with 6 or 7 transverse carinae; mesoscutal lateral lobes reticulate; axillae with few punctures; mesoscutellum with few transverse carinae at center Fig. 176); pronotum mostly reticulate, anteroventral margin finely punctate; mesopleuron reticulate with area on upper portion finely punctate; metapleuron and propodeum reticulate (Fig. 175). Hind coxa about 2.7X longer than broad smooth and shining above, transverse carinae on sides and ventrally. Tarsal claws with 4 teeth, basal most tooth very small and with small basal lobe. Hind basitarsus slightly longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with cells1M and 1Rs separated by short vein Rs+M (as in Fig. 157). Hind wing with veins faint to absent (as in Fig. 157). Metasoma: Smooth, shining, with fine white pubescence on segments 3 to apex. Ovipositor length about 0.9X forewing length. Etymology: Named for Henry Hespenheide, University of California, Los Angeles, who colleted the paratype.

Remarks:
This species and P. tamaulipas are similar. Pristaulacus hespenheidei has the coxae and hind femur black, the ovipositor length slightly shorter than the forewing length, and coarser reticulations on meso-and metapleura and propodeum than on the pronotum (compare Figs 175,176,179,180).

Diagnosis:
Head and most of mesosoma orange; legs orange; metasoma orange with black apex. Forewing with black spot below stigma and black at apex. Head shiny. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae. Hind coxa smooth, shining. Anterior margin of pronotum with one anteriorly projecting tooth.

Male: Unknown.
Etymology: Named for the State of Tamaulipas where this species was collected.

Diagnosis:
Black; whitish spot a middle on each side of first metasomal segment; white band on ovipositor. Forewing with black spot at apex. Head shining with large scattered punctures. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae. Hind coxa smooth, shining. Anterior margin of pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth.