Aulacus veracruz Smith 2008, new species

(Figs 14-17)

Diagnosis:

Orange with propodeum and antenna black; forewing apex black; head shining with shallow punctures; mesonotum finely punctate with transverse carinae.

Female:

Length, 14.0 mm; forewing length, 10.2 mm; ovipositor length 14.0 mm. Color: Orange with antennal flagellum brownish and mesosternum and propodeum black; metasoma with first segment except base and segments 4 to apex brownish. Mid- and hind coxae and hind legs brownish, hind tarsus white. Ovipositor sheath missing, black at base. Wings hyaline, veins and stigma black; forewing with black spot at apex. Head: Antennal length (12 segments present) 2.5X head width. Inner margins of eyes subparallel, lower interocular distance subequal to eye height; malar space 0.3X eye height (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). Mesosoma: Propleuron shining, without sculpture. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae; notauli meeting posteriorly at about the transscutal articulation (Fig. 15); axilla smooth; mesoscutellum with transverse carinae at center, more reticulate at side; pronotum smooth, shining with diagonal band of carinae; mesopleuron with mesepisternum finely punctate on upper third, coarsely reticulate on lower two-thirds, mesepimeron smooth and shining anteriorly, with carinae posteriorly, mesosternum reticulate; metapleuron with large smooth, shining spot on upper third, reticulate on lower two-thirds; propodeum shining, few transverse carinae dorsally, reticulate laterally and on venter (Figs 16, 17). Hind coxa smooth and shining, 2X longer than broad. Hind basitarsus 1.1X longer than length of remaining tarsal segments combined. Metasoma: Smooth, shining, with fine white pubescence on segments 4 to apex. Ovipositor length 1.4X forewing length.

Male: Unknown.

Holotype: Female, labeled “ Mexico: Veracruz, 10 June 1965, G. N. Ross,” “ G. N. Ross Colln., MGCL Accession #2006-20” (FSCA).

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.