This treatment diagnoses Pristaulacus watanabei from a female holotype collected in Phu Ruea National Park, Loei. The wasp is about 10 mm long, predominantly black with reddish-orange parts, and has a clear wing with a substigmal spot, a U-shaped occipital groove, a four-toothed tarsal claw, a slender petiole and an ovipositor 1.5 times the forewing length. It is placed in the P. comptipennis group; its host is unknown.
Key findings
- The holotype is from Phu Ruea National Park, Loei. • Diagnostic characters include a U-shaped occipital groove and long ovipositor. • The species belongs to the P. comptipennis group and has no known host.
Why this matters globally
Protected-area material fills a regional distribution gap and gives researchers a common reference for comparing specimens across countries.
Thai researcher contribution
Chulalongkorn University contributes Thai specimen knowledge to an international taxonomic treatment.
Limitations to consider
Evidence is limited to one female, with no male, host, DNA or newly sampled distribution data.