(Figs 144-147)

Aulacostethus arizonicus TOWNES 1950: 98.– TOWNES 1951: 657.

Pristaulacus arizonicus: CARLSON 1979: 1112.– SMITH 2001: 278.

Diagnosis:

Head and mesosoma black; mesoscutal middle lobe with transverse carinae; occipital carina flangelike; head punctate, frons with closely set punctures.

Female:

Length, 13.5-15.0 mm; forewing length, 12.5-13.5 mm; ovipositor length 18.0-20.0 mm. Color: Black; first metasomal except streak at base and segments 2 and 3 and basal part of 4 orange. Wings slightly dusky; forewing with black spot under stigma and at apex; veins and stigma black. Head: Lower interocular distance 1.4X eye height; malar space neatly 0.5X eye height (Fig. 144). Head from above, sharply narrowing behind eyes, distance behind eyes subequal to eye length (Fig. 145). Occipital carina broad, flangelike, more than half diameter of an ocellus (Fig. 145). Shining; gena and vertex with large punctures, mostly separated by flat, shining interspaces 2X or more puncture diameters; frons with closely set punctures, interspaces ridgelike, mostly equal to puncture diameters; with fine white pubescence, densest on lower inner orbits, malar area, and clypeus (Figs 144, 145). Mesosoma: Pronotum without anteriorly projecting tooth. Propleuron punctate. Mesoscutum with transverse carinae; axillae and sides of mesoscutellum reticulate, center of mesoscutellum with transverse carinae; propleuron shining, punctate; pronotum mostly punctate, punctures finer dorsoposteriorly; mesopleuron finely punctate on upper half, reticulate mixed with punctures on lower half; metapleuron mostly reticulate; propodeum finely punctate to reticulate, shining with few carinae near metasomal insertion (Figs 146, 147). Hind coxa with transverse carinae. Tarsal claws with 4 teeth. Hind basitarsus slightly longer than remaining tarsal segments combined. Forewing with long vein Rs+M separating cells 1M and 1Rs (as in Fig. 157). Hind wing veins distinct, cells Cu and R1+Rs contiguous (as in Fig. 110). Metasoma: Smooth, shining, with fine white pubescence on segments 4 to apex. Ovipositor length about 1.5X forewing length.

Male: Unknown.

Holotype: Female is at OSU, labeled “Chiricahua M., Ar, VII-26-87,” “D.J. & J.N. Knull Collrs,” “ Holotype ” [red], “ Pristaulacus arizonicus Tow. type” [TOWNES’ name label].

Specimens examined: UNITED STATES. ARIZONA: Cochise Co., Cave Cr. Canyon, Chiricahua Mts., Southwestern Research Station, 5350', 81°53'N, 109°12'W, 22.VI-1999 (1 ♀, USNM); Chiricahua M., VIII-2-52 (1 ♀, USNM); Mt. Lemmon, Sta. Catalina Mts., 3-4.VIII.67 (1 ♀, CNC); Apache Co., Hawley L., 8300’, 8.5.82 (2 ♀♀, CAS), same except VIII-1-82 (1 ♀, CAS); Williams, VII-22-50 and VIII-2-52 (6 ♀♀, OSU); 5 mi NW Flagstaff, Coconimo Co., 7000 ft., July 29, 1950 (1 ♀, AMNH).

Remarks:

This large black species with the metasoma partly orange has been found only in Arizona.