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A new parasitoid reared from Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Sclerodennus pupariae n. sp. (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), is described from China. S. pupariae was reared from A. planipennis in China attacking velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina Tort.), a tree native to North America. Life-history studies of S. pupariae in the field and laboratory indicated it is a gregarious idiobiont ectoparasitoid of pupa and larva ofA. planipennis and has up to five generations per year. Parasitism rate in the field was 13%. Adult wasps reared from single host pupa or mature larva ranged from 24 to 56 individuals. Based on laboratory rearing, the emerging adult female to male ratio was 22:1. The new parasitoid species has a high potential as a biocontrol agent for emerald ash borer. Diagnosis of the new species with comparisons to Sclerodermus harmandi (Buysson) and a key to Sclerodermus known in China are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]