taxonID	type	description	language	source
03B687D7FF9BFFAC63E40C20FA04D007.taxon	description	(Figs 1 A, 3 A, 6 A, 7 – 13)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF9BFFAC63E40C20FA04D007.taxon	type_taxon	Type species. Scolia speciosa Smith, 1858, by present designation. Species included. Two species: Gigascolia speciosa (Smith, 1858), comb. nov. and Gigascolia speciosissima Castagnet & Cabon, sp. nov.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF9BFFAC63E40C20FA04D007.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The genus Gigascolia Castagnet & Cabon, gen. nov. is distinguished from the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 in both sexes by having the dorso-median area of propodeum flat, with a distinct transition to the postero-median area, forming a ridge; the T 1 with a vertical groove, more or less running through the entire tergite; and the latero-tergal area of T 3 with a groove crossing the entire sclera. In Megascolia, the dorso-median area of propodeum is sloping posteriorly, with an indistinct transition to the postero-median area; the T 1 has a prominent tubercle instead of a vertical groove; and the latero-tergal area of T 3 does not have a groove. Furthermore, females of Gigascolia, gen. nov. have the pronotum without tubercle in front of the tegula; the hind basitarsus with a scopa on the inner extremity; and the apex of hind basitarsus bordered by a row of spines of very unequal size. Whereas in Megascolia, the pronotum has a more or less prominent tubercle in front of the tegula; the hind basitarsus without a scopa; and the apex of hind basitarsus bordered by a dense row of spines of similar size. The new genus is distinguished from the genus Regiscolia Betrem & Bradley, 1964, stat. nov. in both sexes by having the T 1 with a vertical groove, more or less running through the entire tergite. Whereas in Regiscolia stat. nov., the T 1 has a prominent tubercle. In females, Gigascolia gen. nov. is distinguished from the genus Regiscolia stat. nov. by having the inner margin of mandible with a sharp apical tooth; the head sub-quadrangular; the lamina frontalis weak, not very prominent; the callosity of pronotum with a vertical carina; the coxae III rounded; and the T 1 pyriform, narrowing at the basal quarter. In Regiscolia stat. nov., the inner margin of mandibles has a central tooth; the head is rounded; the lamina frontalis is stronger and prominent; the callosity of pronotum does not have a carina; the coxae III are elongated; and the T 1 is campaniform, gradually widening. In males, Gigascolia gen. nov. is distinguished from the genus Regiscolia stat. nov. by having the inner margin of mandible with two distinct teeth; and the mesosoma large, almost as long as wide. In Regiscolia stat. nov., the inner margin of mandible has three distinct teeth; and the mesosoma is long, about 1.2 to 1.3 times as long as wide. Generic description. Female. Mandibles with only a single sharp tooth at the apex. Clypeus about three times as long as wide. Anterior edge of clypeus broad, truncated in its central part; disk of clypeus flat, impunctate; bordered by a fringe of dense setae. Lamina frontalis weak, not very high, punctate only posteriorly. Frontal area forming an obtusangle almost flat. Frons and vertex almost impunctate. Head sub-quadrangular as long as it is wide. Mesosoma short, almost as long as wide. Pronotum without tubercle in front of tegula. Callosity of pronotum with vertical carina. Scutum less long than wide, largely impunctate, the rest with coarse and sparse punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum wider than long; flat (not sloping), transition to postero-median surface forming pronounced ridge; at the same level as the dorso-lateral areas of propodeum. Coxae III rounded, with a protruding tubercle on the inner surface. Hind basitarsus bearing a scopa at the inner end; the apex bordered by a row of spines of very unequal size. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Second transverso-cubital vein arrives well after the junction between the first transverso-cubital vein and the radial area or reaching the same level as the junction between the first transverso-cubital vein and the radial area. T 1 without tubercle, but with a vertical furrow running more or less through the entire tergite; pyriform, narrowed in basal quarter. Apical margin of basal tergites with tight, fine punctures and long, dense pilosity forming a band. Lateral tergal area of T 3 finely and densely punctate, with a furrow crossing the tergite from one end to the other. S 1 short, raised in the middle and densely punctate over most of its surface.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF9BFFAC63E40C20FA04D007.taxon	description	Male. Inner margin of mandible with two distinct tooth. Antennal segments short; segment III about 1.8 times longer than wide. Frontal area forms an almost flat obtusangle. Mesosoma almost as long as wide. Scutum 1.4 to 1.5 times wider than long. Dorso-median area of propodeum flat, wider than long, transition to postero-median surface distinct, usually forming a ridge. Dorso-median and dorso-lateral areas of propodeum impunctate on basal half. T 1 with a vertical groove, crossing more or less the entire tergite. Lateral-tergal area of T 3 with fine and dense punctures, with a furrow crossing the tergite from one end to the other. S 1 raised in the center with dense punctures over most of its surface. Genitalia. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF9BFFAC63E40C20FA04D007.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The genus name Gigascolia is derived from the ancient Greek γίγας, meaning “ giant ”, with the combination of the generic name “ - scolia ”. The gender is feminine.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF9BFFAC63E40C20FA04D007.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Indonesia (South Sulawesi, Riau Islands, West Kalimantan), Malaysia (Perak, Sarawak, Terengganu) (Fig. 7).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF9BFFAC63E40C20FA04D007.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Saussure, in his catalog of the old genus Scolia (Saussure & Sichel 1864), placed Scolia speciosa Smith, 1858 in the newly erected subgenus Triscolia given the presence of three submarginal cells. Betrem (1928), in his monograph of the Scoliidae of the Indomalayan and Australasian realms, subdivided the subgenus Triscolia into two sections (Triscolia and Megascolia Betrem, 1928). He classified Scolia speciosa Smith, 1858 in the subgenus Triscolia sectio Megascolia. Later, Betrem & Bradley (1964) separated the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928, from the former Triscolia (now including strictly North American taxa), giving the new combination Megascolia (Megascolia) speciosa (Smith, 1858). Examination of the type of Scolia speciosa and a new species reveals excessive morphological differences with species belonging to the genus Megascolia and all other Scoliini genera. Furthermore, the work of Argaman (1996), revised by Taylor (2024 a), although rich in new genera from the genus Megascolia sensus Betrem & Bradley (1964), does not allow to identify the genus to which the taxon speciosa belongs, the latter species does not appear to have been examined by Argaman.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF95FFA963E409E3FB81D483.taxon	description	(Figs 7, 11, 12)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF95FFA963E409E3FB81D483.taxon	description	Osten 2005 b: 44.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF95FFA963E409E3FB81D483.taxon	materials_examined	Type material examined. Allotype of Scolia speciosa (RMNH), ♂, ‘ R. Limbang / April 12.1910. ’ (Fig. 12). Other material examined. Malaysia. Perak state. 1 ♀, Tapah, IV. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Indonesia. Kalimantan Barat province. 1 ♀, Mount Bawang, 10. IV. 2024 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF95FFA963E409E3FB81D483.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Gigascolia speciosa (Smith, 1858), comb. nov. differs from G. speciosissima Castagnet & Cabon, sp. nov. in females by having the apical margin of clypeus straight, without a prominent median lobe; the dorso-median area of propodeum almost impunctate; and the T 1 largely impunctate medially. In contrast, in G. speciosa the apical margin of clypeus has a prominent median lobe; the dorso-median area of propodeum is almost entirely punctate; and the T 1 is largely punctate medially. The male of G. speciosissima is unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF95FFA963E409E3FB81D483.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 11). Length 32 – 36 mm. Head (Figs 11 B, C). Anterior edge of clypeus without median lobe. Disk of clypeus slightly domed in the middle; very finely and densely punctate laterally; impunctate medially; very densely and finely punctate apically, bearing long and dense setae. Fissura frontalis weak but distinct, barely reaching the level of the lamina frontalis and ending in a shallow pit. Frons impunctate. Vertex almost entirely impunctate, with fine, very sparse punctures behind; sparse punctures at median ocelli, forming a line connecting the two eyes. Mesosoma (Fig. 11 D). Pronotum very finely and densely punctate basally, impunctate on the rest. Tegula largely impunctate; near scutum densely and finely punctate; in the middle with one or two very coarse punctures. Scutum with fine, sparse and irregular punctures basally and laterally; largely impunctate medially and apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally; rest impunctate. Metanotum very finely and densely punctate all over. Basal part of dorso-lateral area of propodeum impunctate; apical part very finely and densely punctate. Dorso-median area of propodeum impunctate, except apical angles densely punctate. Mesopleura densely and finely punctate with long, dense setae. Anterior half of upper plate of metapleure densely and finely punctate, posterior half impunctate. Lower plate of metapleura densely and finely punctate over its entire surface. Apical end of hind femur bearing dense tuft of setae (scopa), without spines. Second transverso-cubital vein reaching the same level as the junction between the first transverso-cubital vein and the radial area. Metasoma (Fig. 11 E). T 1 largely impunctate basally and medially; very densely and finely punctate apically; more coarsely and sparsely punctate laterally. T 2 and T 3 with very fine, dense punctures basally and apically; impunctate medially, with a few scattered coarse punctures. T 4 and T 5 with similar punctures. Hypopygidium coarsely and densely punctate, except medially with impunctate area. S 1 impunctate basally, domed and very densely and finely punctate apically. S 2 with a prominent basal tubercle, very finely and densely punctate; the pilosity forming a tuft; with coarse, sparse punctures basally and medially; apical part densely and finely punctate laterally, with an impunctate surface in the middle. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctures. Coloration (Fig. 11). Head black, marked with a large rounded yellow spot on frons and vertex with only the ocellar region black; tempora sometimes marked with a yellow spot. Antennae black. Mesosoma black, marked with yellow on pronotum, sides of scutum close to pronotum, upper part of mesopleura, dorso-median and dorso-lateral area of propodeum. Metasoma black, with two yellow spots on T 3 and two small yellow spots on S 3. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with greenish reflections. Pilosity entirely black; yellow on the colored areas. Male (Fig. 12). Length 28 mm. Head (Figs 12 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with two distinct tooth. Disk of clypeus densely punctate, impunctate medially. Fissura frontalis weak but distinct, barely reaching the level of the lamina frontalis and ending in a shallow pit. Cross-furrow indistinct, its extension ending in the upper part of ocular sinus. Frontal spatium with very dense, fine, tight and shallow punctures. Median ocelli slightly depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with sparse and coarse punctures, almost entirely impunctate in front of the median ocellus. Vertex with fine and sparse punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 12 D). Pronotum with fine and dense punctures on basal half, almost impunctate on the apical half. Tegula almost entirely impunctate, with few scattered and coarse punctures. Scutum with fine and dense punctures; with coarse and scattered punctures laterally; with two distinct areas almost impunctate medially. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally and medially, impunctate apically. Metanotum very finely and densely punctate, almost impunctate apically. Basal part of dorso-lateral area of propodeum impunctate; apical part very finely and densely punctate. Dorso-median area of propodeum impunctate, except apical angles with dense and coarse punctures. Lateral carina of the propodeum slightly exceeding the spiracle. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Metasoma (Fig. 12 E). T 1 very densely and finely punctate apically; more coarsely and sparsely punctate laterally; largely impunctate basally and medially. T 2 very finely and densely punctate all over. T 3 with very dense and fine punctures, with an impunctate triangular area basally in the middle. T 4 to T 6 with similar punctures, but the impunctate area very reduced. S 2 with a strong tubercle, finely and densely punctate; with coarse, sparse punctures basally and medially; apical part densely and finely punctate laterally, with an impunctate area in the middle. S 3 to S 6 with similar punctures. Coloration (Fig. 12). Head predominantly yellow; mandibles, frontal spatium, ocellar region, vertex apically black. Antennae black. Mesosoma black, marked with yellow on pronotum, sides of scutum near pronotum, upper and lower part of mesopleura, metanotum, dorso-lateral and dorso-median areas of propodeum. Metasoma black, with a thin yellow band on the basal part of T 3 and two yellow spots on S 3. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with greenish / blue reflections. Pilosity entirely black; yellow on the colored areas. Genitalia. Following examination and dissection of the type specimen, the genitalia were not recovered and are presumed lost.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF95FFA963E409E3FB81D483.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Indonesia (Riau Islands, West Kalimantan), Malaysia (Perak, Sarawak, Terengganu) (Smith 1858 a; Cameron 1892, 1901, 1905; Betrem 1928) (Fig. 7).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF95FFA963E409E3FB81D483.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF95FFA963E409E3FB81D483.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Smith (1858) described Scolia speciosa from a female collected in Malaysia (Sarawak). He gave a very detailed description, specifying that this species is one of the most beautiful in the genus, and that it has never before been captured outside Borneo. It took 70 years for the male to be described by Betrem (1928), also from the island of Borneo. However, Cameron (1901) had already provided a brief description of the male based on material from Bukit Besar mountain (Terengganu), which seems to have gone unnoticed.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	description	(Figs 7, 13)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	materials_examined	Type material. Holotype (CCEC), ♀, [red labels] “ INDONESIA. South / Sulawesi pr., Palopo / Buntu Karanganlotong / XII. 2017 / Local collector leg. ”, “ HOLOTYPE ♀ / Gigascolia / speciosissima / Castagnet & Cabon, 2025 ”.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Gigascolia speciosissima Castagnet & Cabon, sp. nov. differs from G. speciosa (Smith, 1858) in females by having the apical margin of clypeus with a prominent median lobe; the dorso-median area of propodeum almost entirely punctate; and the T 1 largely punctate medially. In contrast, in G. speciosa the apical margin of clypeus is straight, without a prominent median lobe; the dorso-median area of propodeum is almost impunctate; and the T 1 is largely impunctate medially. The male of G. speciosissima is unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	description	Description of the holotype, female (Fig. 13). Length 37 mm. Head (Figs 13 B, C). Anterior edge of clypeus with prominent median lobe. Disk of clypeus slightly domed in the middle, very finely and densely punctate laterally; impunctate medially; very densely and finely punctate apically, bearing long dense setae. Fissura frontalis weak but distinct, reaching the level of the lamina frontalis and ending in a deep pit. Frons impunctate. Vertex impunctate; sparse punctures at median ocelli, forming a line stopping well before the eyes. Mesosoma (Fig. 13 D). Pronotum very finely and densely punctate basally; largely impunctate on the rest, except the region close to the tegula with coarse, sparse punctures. Tegula largely impunctate; near scutum densely and finely punctate; medially with about ten coarse punctures. Scutum with fine, sparse and irregular punctures basally; largely impunctate laterally, medially and apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures over most of its surface. Metanotum with very fine and dense punctures all over. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with an impunctate area (mirror); the rest with fine and very dense punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum densely and coarsely punctate. Mesopleura densely and finely punctate with long, dense setae. Anterior part of upper plate of metapleure densely and coarsely punctate on anterior two-thirds, impunctate on posterior third. Lower plate of metapleure densely and coarsely punctate all over. Second transverso-cubital vein arrives well after the junction between the first transverso-cubital vein and the radial area. Metasoma (Fig. 13 E). T 1 very densely and finely punctate apically; more coarsely and densely punctate laterally, basally and medially. T 2 with fine and dense punctures basally and apically; mostly impunctate medially, with coarse and dense punctures. T 3 with dense, coarse punctures basally; impunctate medially; finely and densely punctate apically. T 4 and T 5 with similar punctures. Hypopygidium coarsely and densely punctate, except medially with impunctate area. S 1 impunctate basally, domed and very densely and finely punctate apically. S 2 with a slight tubercle, finely and densely punctate; with coarse punctures basally and medially; apical part densely and finely punctate laterally, with coarse and sparse punctures in the middle. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctures. Coloration (Fig. 13). Head black, with two vertical yellow stripes running from the frons to the vertex and interrupted several times. Antennae black. Mesosoma and metasoma entirely black. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with violet-blue reflections. Pilosity entirely black. Male. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Indonesia (South Sulawesi) (Fig. 7).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific epithet speciosissima is the superlative form of the Latin word speciosa, which means “ beautiful ”. As Smith noted when describing Scolia speciosa, Gigascolia speciosissima, sp. nov. is for us the most beautiful species of the newly created genus. Genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Figs 1 C, 2 C, 3 B, 4 B, 5 B, 14 – 30)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	type_taxon	Type species. Scolia procer Illiger, 1802, by original designation. Species included. Three species: Megascolia procer (Illiger, 1802), M. scutellaris (Gribodo, 1893), and M. velutina (Saussure, 1859).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Megascolia Betrem, 1928 is distinguished from the genus Gigascolia Castagnet & Cabon, gen. nov. and Regiscolia Betrem & Bradley, 1964, stat. nov. in both sexes by having the dorso-median area of propodeum sloping posteriorly, with an indistinct transition to the postero-median area; and the latero-tergal area of T 3 without groove. In Gigascolia gen. nov. and Regiscolia stat. nov., the dorso-median area of propodeum is flat, with a distinct transition to the postero-median area, forming a ridge; and the latero-tergal area of T 3 has a groove crossing the entire sclera. Furthermore, in females of Megascolia, the pronotum has a more or less prominent tubercle in front of the tegula; the hind basitarsus does not have scopa; and the apex of hind basitarsus is bordered by a dense row of spines of similar size. Whereas females of Gigascolia gen. nov. and Regiscolia stat. nov. have the pronotum without tubercle in front of the tegula; the hind basitarsus with a scopa on the inner extremity; and the apex of hind basitarsus bordered by a row of spines of very unequal size. In males of Megascolia, the antennal segments are long, segment III of antenna 2 to 2.2 times longer than wide; and scutum 1.1 to 1.2 times wider than long. Whereas in Gigascolia gen. nov. and Regiscolia stat. nov. the antennal segments are shorter, the segment III of antenna is 1.4 to 1.8 times longer than wide; and the scutum is 1.4 to 1.5 times wider than long.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	description	Redescription. Female. Mandibles with two teeth on its inner margin. Clypeus about twice as long as wide. Anterior margin of clypeus narrower and not broadly truncated in median part; disk of clypeus domed in the middle, usually entirely punctate; without fringe of dense setae apically. Lamina frontalis strong, elevated and densely punctate at the level of the frontal spatium. Frontal area forming an elongated isosceles triangle. Frons and vertex almost impunctate; if present, punctures are fine and very sparse. Rounded head, longer than it is wide. Mesosoma clearly longer than wide. Pronotum with tubercle in front of tegula. Callosity of pronotum without vertical carina. Scutum almost as long as wide. Dorso-median area of propodeum as long as wide, strongly sloping posteriorly, transition to postero-median area indistinct; depressed relative to the dorso-lateral areas of propodeum. Coxae III elongated, without prominent tubercle on inner surface. Hind metatarsus without scopa at the inner end; the apex bordered by a dense row of spines of similar size. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Second transverso-cubital vein arrives well after the junction between the first transverso-cubital vein and the radial area. T 1 with a tubercle, without vertical transverse suture; campaniform, gradually widening. Apical margin of basal tergites with tight, fine punctures and long, dense pilosity forming a band. Lateral-tergal area of T 3 without groove. S 1 long, flat and sparsely punctate. Male. Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Antennal articles long; segment III of antenna 2 to 2.2 times longer than wide. Frontal area irregularly pentagonal with acute apex. Mesosoma distinctly longer than wide. Scutum 1.1 to 1.2 times wider than long. Dorso-median area of propodeum steeply sloping posteriorly, transition to postero-median surface indistinct; depressed relative to the dorso-lateral areas of propodeum. Dorso-median and dorso-lateral areas densely and finely punctate, sometimes with a small impunctate surface. T 1 usually with strong, blunt tubercle, without vertical transverse groove. Laterolateral area of T 3 without furrow, with fine, dense punctures. S 1 flat and sparsely punctate. Genitalia (Fig. 15). Gonocoxites forming two sclerotized half-rings that touch in the middle on the ventral side and at the base on the dorsal side. Ventral part of each gonocoxite subrectangular, obliquely arranged; dorsal part larger, slightly swollen. Side of each gonocoxite extended by an elongated gonostyle, narrow at the base and progressively widened towards the apex, the latter subtruncate. Gonostyle with numerous setae; outer lateral setae, present over three-quarters of gonostyle length, brown, very long and curved at tip; setae on medial side and apical setae fine and shorter. Volsella with a wide basal part and an elongated distal part (about 2 - 3 times as high as wide), with parallel edges, rounded at the apex. Basal part with a rather indistinct, rounded distal lobe on the lateral (outer) side. Basal and distal parts of volsella separated by a simple angulation, not a notch. Ventral side of basal part of volsella with about twenty long, fine setae. Apex of distal part with a tight group of strong brown setae, more or less long and curved, forming a characteristic bouquet. Brown sensory conules, 25 to 50 μm long, present at different levels of the volsella: two short, closely spaced conules (difficult to observe) at the tip of the lateral lobe of the basal part; numerous similar conules, but slightly longer and close together, along the lateral edge of the volsella, in its middle part; two groups of two or three conules in a more distal position. Aedeagus reaching or slightly exceeding gonostyles in length. Sclerified penile valves joined by membrane, which forms a rounded cap at the apex of the aedeagus. Penile valves in lateral view with a wide distal part, truncated at the tip, followed by a narrowed middle part, then an even narrower basal part. Ventral edge of distal part with a row of 8 to 10 sclerotized teeth, particularly long (0.2 to 0.4 mm) and pointed; middle teeth longer than teeth at both ends, forming a curved line.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF90FFB363E40C6AFA05D367.taxon	distribution	Distribution. China (Yunnan; new record), India (Arunachal Pradesh), Indonesia (Bengkulu, Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, East Java, East Kalimantan, Jakarta, Lampung, Jambi, Maluku, North Malaku, North Sulawesi, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi, South Sumatra, Southwest Papua, West Java, West Kalimantan, West Sumatra), Laos (Oudoxmay; new record), Malaysia (Pahang, Perak, Phatthalung, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor), Myanmar, The Philippines (Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Battan, Cagayan, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Laguna, Lanao del Sur, Misamis, Negros Occidental, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Quezon, Samar, Sarangani, Surigao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte), Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam (Saussure & Sichel 1864; Gribodo 1893; Cameron 1901; Mantero 1903; Rohwer 1921; Micha 1927; Betrem 1928; Betrem & Bradley 1964; Gupta & Jonathan 2003; Ming & Soh 2020) (Fig. 14).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	description	(Figs 19 – 21, 23, 24)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	description	1906: 37; Rohwer 1921: 77. Scolia (Triscolia) procera: Magretti 1892: 236; Mantero 1903: 33. Triscolia procer: Gribodo 1893: 152. Triscolia procer forma scapulata Gribodo, 1893: 163 (synonymised with procer procer by Micha 1927: 104 and later again by Betrem & Bradley 1964: 441). Triscolia procer var. sumatrensis Gribodo, 1893: 164. Syn. nov. Triscolia procer var. bimaculata Gribodo, 1893: 164. Scolia (Scolia, Triscolia) procera: Dalla-Torre 1897: 174. Scolia (Scolia, Triscolia) procera var. bimaculata: Dalla-Torre 1897: 174. Scolia (Scolia, Triscolia) procera var. scapulata: Dalla-Torre 1897: 174. Scolia (Scolia, Triscolia) procera var. sumatrensis: Dalla-Torre 1897: 174. Scolia (Triscolia) procera forma scapulata Mantero, 1903: 33. Scolia (Triscolia) procera var. nigriventris Mantero, 1903: 33. Triscolia procera: Cameron 1905: 52. Scolia (Triscolia) procer var. bimaculata: Rohwer 1921: 77. Triscolia procer: Micha 1927: 104. T riscolia procer procer: Micha 1927: 104 – 108. Triscolia procer form luteifrons Micha, 1927: 108 (synonymised with procer procer by Betrem & Bradley 1964: 441). Scolia (Triscolia sectio Megascolia) procer: Betrem 1928: 240. Scolia (Triscolia sectio Megascolia) procer var. sarawakensis Betrem, 1928: 241. Syn. nov. Scolia (Triscolia sectio Megascolia) procer var. bimaculata: Betrem 1928: 242. Scolia (Triscolia sectio Megascolia) procer var. nigriventris: Betrem 1928: 242. Scolia (Triscolia sectio Megascolia) procer procer: Betrem 1933: 255. Scolia (Triscolia sectio Megascolia) procer luteifrons: Betrem 1933: 256. Megascolia (Megascolia) procer procer: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 438, 441; Betrem in Bradley 1972: 12; Bradley 1973 a: 286; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 135; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017: 5; Ming & Soh 2020: 110. Megascolia (Megascolia) procer procer var. sumatrensis: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 441. Megascolia (Megascolia) procer procer var. sarawakensis: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 441; Osten 2005 b: 41. Megascolia (Megascolia) procer javanensis Betrem & Bradley, 1964: 439, 441; Bradley & Betrem 1966: 81; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 135; Osten 2005 b: 41; Ming & Soh 2020: 110. Syn. nov. Megascolia (Megascolia) procer nigriventris: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 439, 441; Bradley 1973 a: 285; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 135; Osten 2005 b: 41. Megascolia (Megascolia) procer bimaculata: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 440, 441; Petersen 1970: 64 – 65; Bradley 1973 a: 278; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 135; Osten 2005 b: 28, 41. Megascolia (Megascolia) procer procer form sumatrensis: Bradley 1973 a: 287; Osten 2005 b: 41. Megascolia procer: Argaman 1996: 199. Megascolia (Megascolia) procer: Osten 2001: 439; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 135; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017: 5; Ming & Soh 2020: 110; Golfetti et al. 2025: 3, 10. Megascolia (Megascolia) procer procer form luteifrons: Osten 2005 b: 41. Megascolia cf. procer: Khouri et al. 2022: 24 – 29, 31 – 34, 36 – 38.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	materials_examined	Type material examined. Holotype of Scolia (Triscolia) procera var. nigriventris (MSNG), ♀, ‘‘ Is. Nias / Lelemboli / Agosto 1886 / Modigliani’ ’, ‘‘ HOLOTYPE / nigriventris Man. / Teste, 1929 / J. C. Bradley’ ’ (Fig. 25). Other material examined. China. Yunnan province. 1 ♀, Mangyun, 4. X. 2020 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Indonesia. Kalimantan Barat province. 2 ♀ 2 ♂, Loemar, 15. IX. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 6. VI. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. West Kalimantan province. 4 ♂, Mount Bawang, VII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Laos. Oudoxmay province. 1 ♀, Namkat Yorla Pa, 3. V. 2019 (S. Collard leg.) [NPYPBM]. Malaysia. Perak state. 1 ♀ 2 ♂, Perak, 2. XI. 2005 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 21. IV. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Selangor state. 1 ♀, Kuala Selangor, 30. I. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. The Philippines. Palawan province. 1 ♀, Roxas, 30. XI. 2020 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, XII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂ 1 ♀, same place, 7. XI. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CFC]; 1 ♂, same place, 22. IX. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀, same place, 4. II. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 3 ♀ 1 ♂, same place, 13. X. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 4 ♀, same place, 1. XI. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, VIII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 25. XII. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀ 1 ♂, same place, 25. I. 2024 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, same place, 8. II. 2024 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀, same place, 25. IV. 2024 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Singapore. North region. 1 ♂, Sembawang, 29. I. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 31. VII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Thailand. Nakhon Si Thammarat province. 1 ♂, Khao Phra, 13. IX. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Vietnam. Ha Giang province. 1 ♀, Ha Giang, VII. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CFC]. Lam Dong province. 1 ♂, Dambri, III. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Th ừa Thiên Hu ế province. 1 ♀ 1 ♂, B ạch Mã mountain, 4. VIII. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 12. III. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Megascolia procer (Illiger, 1802) differs from M. velutina (Saussure, 1859) and M. scutellaris (Gribodo, 1893) in both sexes by having the pronotum largely impunctate medially and apically; and the T 1 with a broad impunctate basal area. In contrast, in M. scutellaris and M. velutina, the pronotum is more densely punctate throughout, without distinct impunctate area (sometimes with a small scattered area apically); and the T 1 is largely punctate, basally with sparser and coarser punctures. In addition, M. procer is more largely marked with yellow (pronotum, scutellum, metanotum, and generally on T 1 and T 3). Whereas M. velutina and M. scutellaris are entirely black, sometimes with yellow markings mainly on the scutellum and metanotum.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 19). Length 39 – 57 mm. Head (Figs 19 B, C). Disk of clypeus domed in the middle; coarsely and sparsely punctate medially, more finely and densely punctate on the rest. Fissura frontalis distinct, reaching the level of the lamina frontalis and ending in a pronounced pit. Frons almost impunctate, with only the ocellar triangle bearing a few punctures. Vertex almost entirely impunctate, with only a few scattered punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 19 D). Pronotum finely and densely punctate basally, almost impunctate on the rest. Pronotum with a distinct tubercle, often blunt but protruding in front of the tegula. Tegula largely impunctate; with fine and dense punctures basally; along scutum with scattered and coarse punctures. Scutum finely and densely punctate basally; more sparsely punctate laterally; largely impunctate medially and apically. Scutellum finely and densely punctate basally, much more sparsely punctate apically. Metanotum finely and sparsely punctate; almost impunctate apically. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum densely and finely punctate, especially the region near the lateral area of the propodeum, anteriorly with an impunctate surface (mirror). Dorso-median area of propodeum densely and finely punctate; medially more sparsely punctate revealing an impunctate surface. Mesopleura densely and finely punctate all over. Anterior part of upper plate of metapleura densely and finely punctate on anterior half, more sparsely punctate on posterior half. Lower plate of metapleura densely and finely punctate over almost its entire surface, except for a small impunctate surface near the lateral carina of the propodeum. Apical end of hind femur bearing a row of spines. Second transverso-cubital vein arriving well after the junction between the first transverso-cubital rib and the radial area. Anterior margin of marginal cell almost twice as long as posterior margin. Metasoma (Fig. 19 E). T 1 with strong, bifid tubercle, largely impunctate; impunctate basally; with dense and fine punctures laterally and apically. T 2 impunctate basally; densely and finely punctate laterally; very sparsely punctate medially; finely and densely punctate apically. T 3 impunctate basally, except for fine and dense punctures along T 2; densely and finely punctate laterally and apically. T 4 and T 5 with similar punctation, but the central impunctate area gradually reducing. Hypopygidium with coarse and dense punctures, except apex with impunctate surface. S 1 slightly domed and impunctate, except laterally with coarse punctures forming a band meeting in the middle. S 2 with strong tubercle; with fine and dense punctures basally; impunctate medially; with dense and fine punctures on sides apically and coarse and sparse punctures in the middle apically. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Figs 19, 20, 25). In the nominotypical subspecies (Fig. 19), head black, marked with yellow on frons and vertex with only the ocellar region black. Antennae black. Mesosoma black, marked with yellow on pronotum, scutellum and metanotum. Metasoma black, yellow markings on T 1 and two yellow spots on T 3. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with blue / greenish highlights. Pilosity black; yellow on the colored areas. In the subspecies bimaculata (Fig. 20), head with the same coloration as the nominotypical subspecies, mesosoma black, sometimes faintly marked with yellow on the scutellum, metasoma black, with two small yellow spots on T 3. In the subspecies nigriventris (Fig. 25), head with the same coloration as the nominotypical subspecies, mesosoma and metasoma entirely black. Male (Fig. 21). Length 27 – 40 mm. Head (Figs 21 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus densely punctate, largely impunctate medially. Antennal segment XIII about 2.4 times longer than wide. Distinct fissura frontalis reaching the median ocelli and passing through the frons fossa. Cross-furrow distinct, its extension ending in the ocular sinus. Frontal spatium short, densely and finely punctate; pilosity fine and dense. Median ocelli slightly depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons sparsely and finely punctate, except for an impunctate band in front of the median ocelli. Vertex densely and finely punctate. Vertex sparsely and coarsely punctate. Mesosoma (Fig. 21 D). Pronotum finely and sparsely punctate, inter-point space sometimes very large, revealing an impunctate area. Tegula with few coarse punctures in its apical part and along the scutum, the rest with fine and dense punctures. Scutum with dense, fine punctures, very sparse medially, revealing two impunctate bands. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures, more sparser medially; inter-point space medially often well over twice the diameter of a point. Metanotum finely and sparsely punctate, with large impunctate area medially. Basal part of dorso-lateral area of propodeum with impunctate area (mirror); apical part finely and densely punctate, more finely punctate under the mirror. Dorso-median area of propodeum densely punctate, inter-point space approximately equal to the diameter of a puncture. Metasoma (Fig. 21 E). T 1 with a strong tubercle; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically; largely impunctate basally and medially. T 2 very finely and densely punctate all over. T 3 with small triangular area almost impunctate medially, rest densely and finely punctate. T 4 and T 5 densely and finely punctate. S 1 slightly domed; entirely impunctate, except on the sides with coarse punctures forming a band meeting in the middle. S 2 with a tubercle, finely and densely punctate basally; with sparse and dense punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures on sides apically and with sparse punctures in the middle apically. S 3 to S 6 with similar punctation. Coloration (Figs 21 – 23). In the nominotypical subspecies (Figs 21, 23), head almost entirely yellow, only the mandibles in part, ocellar region, frontal spatium, tempora behind the eyes and occiput black. Antennae black, last antennal segments often marked with orange-brown underneath. Mesosoma black, with yellow markings on pronotum, scutellum and metanotum. Metasoma black, with a yellow spot on T 1 and two yellow spots on the basal part of T 3 (sometimes absent). Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with blue / purple reflections. Pilosity entirely black; yellow on the colored areas. In the subspecies bimaculata (Fig. 22), clypeus largely black, mesosoma black, sometimes with faint yellow markings on the pronotum and / or scutellum, and T 1 entirely black. The male of subspecies nigriventris is unknown. Genitalia. See Fig. 15 A.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	distribution	Distribution. China (Yunnan; new record), India (Arunachal Pradesh), Indonesia (Bengkulu, East Kalimantan, East Java, Jakarta, Jambi, Lampung, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, West Java, West Kalimantan, West Sumatra), Laos (Oudoxmay; new record), Malaysia (Pahang, Perak, Phatthalung, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor), Myanmar, The Philippines (Palawan), Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam (Micha 1927; Betrem 1928; Betrem & Bradley 1964; Petersen 1970; Gupta & Jonathan 2003) (Fig. 24).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. The only known hosts are Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus, 1758) (Richards 1919) and Chalcosoma atlas Linnaeus, 1758 (Piek 1986 a). In Singapore, many specimens were observed foraging on the coastal and native shrubs Premna serratifolia (Lamiaceae) (Ming & Soh 2020).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Numerous subspecies, varieties and forms have been described: ssp. bimaculata (Gribodo, 1893) from The Philippines (Palawan), ssp. javanensis Betrem, 1964 from Indonesia (Java), spp. nigriventris (Mantero, 1903) from Indonesia (Nias), spp. procer (Illiger, 1802) from Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia (Borneo, Java, Sumatra), spp. procer form sumatrensis (Gribodo, 1893) from Indonesia (Sumatra) and ssp. procer variety sarawakensis Betrem, 1928 from Malaysia (Sarawak) (Betrem & Bradley 1964; Osten 2005 b). As coloration is highly variable, the validity of these taxa remains doubtful, as they are mainly characterized by the extent of yellow coloration or its absence on the various tagmas. All forms and varieties are considered invalid here, and only three subspecies are considered valid, for the reasons set out below. M. procer procer form sumatrensis syn. nov., known only from the male, differs from the typical form only by the third metasomal segment, which is black and immaculate (Betrem 1928). In this study, specimens belonging to the sumatrensis form and others belonging to the typical form were examined from the same locality. We therefore consider this form as invalid. M. procer procer var. sarawakensis syn. nov. is known only from the male, whose coloration is similar to the nominotypical subspecies, but with additional yellow maculae on parts of the scutum, dorso-lateral and dorso-median areas of propodeum (Betrem 1928). For the same reasons as the previous form, this variety must be considered as a mere intraspecific variation.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	description	M. procer javanensis syn. nov. is recognizable only in female and differs from the nominotypical subspecies by the ocellar triangle and the vertex, which are more extensively marked with black (Betrem & Bradley 1964). This subspecies is based solely on the female and on head coloration, which is highly variable. We therefore synonymize this subspecies with the nominotypical subspecies. Only the ssp. bimaculata (Figs 20, 22), ssp. nigriventris (Fig. 25), and ssp. procer (Figs 19, 21, 23) are considered valid in this study. M. procer bimaculata (Gribodo, 1893) was previously known only from one female and one male from Palawan (The Philippines) (Gribodo 1893; Betrem 1928; Bradley & Betrem 1964; Petersen 1970). The female differs from the nominal form by having the mesosoma entirely black, although the scutellum may sometimes be faintly marked with yellow, the first metasomal segment is completely black, and the pronotal tubercles are more blunt. The male differs by having the clypeus largely black, a black mesosoma (sometimes with faint yellow markings on the pronotum and / or scutellum), and the first metasomal segment entirely black. The examination of twenty-four specimens from Palawan shows that this coloration appears to be stable. Furthermore, no specimens of the nominotypical subspecies are known from The Philippines. This subspecies is therefore considered valid.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF8BFFB963E40BCCFB70D3E9.taxon	description	- Mesosoma largely marked with yellow on pronotum, scutellum and metanotum; T 1 largely marked with yellow (Figs 19, 21, 23) … ssp. procer (Illiger) 2. Metasoma entirely melanistic (Fig. 25). Nias island ... ssp. nigriventris (Mantero) - Metasoma with small lateral yellow spots on T 3 (Figs 20, 22). The Philippines ... ssp. bimaculata (Gribodo)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF80FF8463E40A86FEAED003.taxon	description	(Figs 24, 26, 27)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF80FF8463E40A86FEAED003.taxon	description	2003: 135; Osten 2005 b: 43; Golfetti et al. 2025: 3, 10.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF80FF8463E40A86FEAED003.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. The Philippines. Bataan province. 1 ♂, Mariveles, 15. VI. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Sarangani province. 1 ♀, Kiamba, 12. IX. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 12. IX. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 26. I. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Oriental Mindoro province. 1 ♀, Puerto galera, 22. V. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Socorro, 7. II. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Lanao del Sur province. 1 ♂, Wao, 17. V. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 27. X. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. 1 ♀, Kapai, 5. XI. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CFC]. Agusan del Sur province. 1 ♀, San Francisco, 13. IV. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 9. IV. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 13. VI. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Sibagat, 6. I. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 23. XI. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 15. XII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 2 ♂, Esperanza, 12. IV. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 22. VIII. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 12. VII. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Trento, 09. IX. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, VIII. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Borbon, 14. IX. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, San Luis, 21. XII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Cotabato province. 2 ♂, Kidapawan, 3. I. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Mount Parker, 19. I. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Bukidnon province. 1 ♂, Sumilao, 12. IV. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Samar province. 1 ♀, Lope de Vega, 11. IX. 16 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 14. II. 2020 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 16. V. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Kinopadan, 25. IV. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Davao del Sur province. 1 ♂, Mont Talomo, 1. III. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Surigao del Sur province. 1 ♀, San Miguel, 8. I. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 12. VIII. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Zamboanga del Norte province. 2 ♂, Siocon, 11. VIII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 3 ♂, same place, 12. VI. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Quezon province. 1 ♀, General Luna, 5. II. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, General Nakar, 16. II. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Misamis province. 1 ♀, Cagayan de Oro, 18. I. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF80FF8463E40A86FEAED003.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Megascolia scutellaris (Gribodo, 1893) differs from M. velutina (Saussure, 1859) in females by having the scutellum and metanotum with sparse punctures; and the vertex, scutellum, and metanotum marked with yellow. In contrast, in M. velutina, the scutellum and metanotum have denser punctures; and the body is entirely melanistic, occasionally marked with yellow on the vertex. M. scutellaris differs from M. procer (Illiger, 1802) in females by having the pronotum with dense punctures throughout, without distinct impunctate areas; and the scutum with dense and fine punctures basally. In contrast, in M. procer, the pronotum is largely impunctate medially and apically; and the scutum has sparser and coarser punctures basally. M. scutellaris differs from M. procer in males by having the pronotum and scutum with dense and fine punctures throughout; and the T 1 largely punctate, with sparse and coarse punctures basally. In contrast, in M. procer the pronotum has finer and sparser punctures; the scutum is largely impunctate medially; and the T 1 has a broad impunctate basal area. M. scutellaris differs from M. velutina by having the scutum basally with extremely fine, dense, and coalescent punctures; and the scutellum and metanotum with sparse and coarse punctures. In contrast, in M. velutina the scutum basally has distinctly coarser and sparser punctures; and the scutellum and metanotum have denser and finer punctures.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF80FF8463E40A86FEAED003.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 26). Length 40 – 54 mm. Head (Figs 26 B, C). Disk of clypeus domed in the middle; coarsely and sparsely punctate medially, more finely and densely punctate on the rest. Fissura frontalis distinct, reaching the level of the lamina frontalis and ending in a shallow pit. Frons sparsely and finely punctate, the ocellar region bearing a few fine punctures. Vertex almost entirely impunctate, with only a few scattered punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 26 D). Pronotum densely and finely punctate over its entire surface, except in front of the tegula, with sparser and coarser punctures. Pronotum with a sharp, pointed and protruding tubercle in front of the tegula. Tegula largely impunctate; basally and along scutum with fine and dense punctures; medially with a few very sparse punctures. Scutum very finely and densely punctate, with coalescent punctures basally; more sparsely and coarsely punctate laterally; with fine and dense punctures medially and apically, often with two central impunctate bands. Scutellum finely and densely punctate basally, much more sparsely punctate apically. Metanotum finely and sparsely punctate; almost impunctate apically. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum densely and finely punctate, especially the region near the lateral area of the propodeum; anteriorly with an impunctate area (mirror). Dorso-median area of propodeum densely and coarsely punctate; more sparsely punctate medially, revealing an impunctate surface. Mesopleura densely and finely punctate all over. Anterior part of upper plate of metapleure densely and finely punctate on anterior two-thirds, more sparsely punctate on remainder, with small impunctate area on posterior third. Lower plate of metapleura densely and very finely punctate over almost its entire surface, except for a small impunctate surface near the lateral carina of the propodeum. Apical end of hind femur bearing dense tuft of bristles, without spines. Second transverso-cubital vein arriving well after the junction between the first transverso-cubital vein and the radial area. Anterior margin of marginal cell about 1.4 times greater than posterior margin. Metasoma (Fig. 26 E). T 1 with strong, pointed tubercle; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically; more coarsely and less densely punctate with a small impunctate area basally. Basal part of T 2 impunctate basally; densely and finely punctate laterally; very sparsely punctate medially; finely and densely punctate apically. T 3 impunctate basally, except for fine and dense punctures along T 2; densely and finely punctate laterally and apically. T 4 and T 5 with similar punctation, but the central impunctate area gradually reducing. Hypopygidium with coarse and dense punctures, except apex with impunctate surface. S 1 slightly domed and impunctate, except laterally with coarse punctures forming a band meeting in the middle. S 2 with blunt tubercle; with fine and dense punctures basally; impunctate medially; with dense and fine punctures on sides apically and with coarse and sparse punctures in the middle apically. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Fig. 26). Head black with yellow spot on frons laterally and vertex; ocellar region black. Antennae black. Mesosoma black, with yellow markings on scutellum and metanotum. Metasoma entirely black. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with blue / greenish reflections. Pilosity entirely black; yellow on the colored areas. Male (Fig. 27). Length 33 – 40 mm. Head (Figs 27 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus densely punctate. Antennal segment XIII about 2.2 times as long as it is wide. Distinct fissura frontalis reaching the median ocelli and passing through the frontal pit. Cross-furrow distinct, its extension ending in the upper part of ocular sinus. Frontal spatium long, densely and finely punctate; pilosity long and dense. Median ocelli slightly depressed, larger than the posterior ocelli. Frons densely and finely punctate, particularly around posterior ocelli. Vertical frontal furrow distinct, its extension reaching the upper eye lobe. Vertex densely and finely punctate. Mesosoma (Fig. 27 D). Pronotum very finely and densely punctate all over, inter-point space coalescent or almost so. Tegula largely coarsely and densely punctate, the rest with fine and dense punctures. Scutum with dense and fine punctures; with extremely fine and dense punctures (coalescent) basally. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures, more sparser medially; inter-point space medially well over twice the diameter of a point. Metanotum finely and sparsely punctate, with an impunctate area medially. Basal part of dorso-lateral area of propodeum with impunctate area (mirror); apical part finely and densely punctate, more finely and densely punctate under the mirror. Dorso-median area of propodeum densely punctate, inter-point space clearly smaller than the diameter of a puncture. Metasoma (Fig. 27 E). T 1 with a strong tubercle; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically; more coarsely and less densely punctate basally and medially. T 2 very finely and densely punctate all over, with coalescent punctures medially. T 3 with small triangular area almost impunctate medially, rest densely and finely punctate. T 4 and T 5 densely and finely punctate. S 1 slightly domed; entirely impunctate, except on the sides with coarse punctures forming a band meeting in the middle. S 2 with a tubercle, finely and densely punctate basally; with sparse and dense punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures on sides apically and with sparse punctures in the middle apically. S 3 to S 6 with similar punctation. Coloration (Fig. 27). Head entirely black. Antennae black. Mesosoma black, with yellow markings on scutellum and metanotum. Metasoma black. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with purplish reflections. Pilosity entirely black; yellow on the colored areas. Genitalia. See Fig. 15 B.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF80FF8463E40A86FEAED003.taxon	distribution	Distribution. The Philippines (Agusan del Sur, Battan, Bukidnon, Cagayan, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Laguna, Lanao del Sur, Misamis, Negros Occidental, Oriental Mindoro, Quezon, Samar, Sarangani, Surigao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte) (Rohwer 1921; Micha 1927; Betrem 1928; Petersen 1970) (Fig. 24).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF80FF8463E40A86FEAED003.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FF80FF8463E40A86FEAED003.taxon	discussion	Remarks. This species is endemic to The Philippines and has no known subspecies (Betrem & Bradley 1964; Osten 2005 b).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	description	(Figs 24, 28 – 30)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	description	16; Osten 2005 b: 45. Megascolia (Megascolia) velutina keyensis: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 441; Bradley 1972: 12; Osten 2005 b: 45. Megascolia (Megascolia) velutina: Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 135; Golfetti et al. 2025: 3, 10.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	materials_examined	Type material examined. Lectotype of Scolia (Scolia) velutina (RMNH), ♂, [white labels] ‘ K. s. r. H / Java’, ‘ Museum Leiden / Triscolia / velutina / sauss. De Henr / Det: - ’, ‘ Scolia / velutina / sauss / Hololectotype / det. Betrem’. Material examined. Indonesia. Maluku province. 1 ♀, Ilat, Buru Island, 18. VI. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Ambon, Ambon island, 1. III. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Central Sulawesi province. 1 ♀, Palolo, 11. IV. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 11. IX. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Peleng, Tataba, X. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CFC]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, same place, 12. III. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 22. XII. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 4 ♀, same place, 6. XII. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 21. XII. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀, Kamarora, 9. IV. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀, Palopo, 7. X. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. South Sulawesi province. 1 ♂, Tompobulu, 10. X. 2020 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Maros, 12. IV. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Megascolia velutina (Saussure, 1859) differs from M. procer (Illiger, 1802) and M. scutellaris (Gribodo, 1893) by having the scutellum and metanotum with dense and fine punctures; and the body entirely melanistic (or only the head partially marked with yellow). In contrast, in M. procer and M. scutellaris, the scutellum and metanotum have sparser and coarser punctures; and at least the head, scutellum and metanotum are marked with yellow.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 28). Length 41 – 47 mm. Head (Figs 28 B, C). Disk of clypeus domed in the middle; densely and finely punctate, more coarsely and sparsely punctate medially. Fissura frontalis distinct, reaching the level of the lamina frontalis and ending in a pronounced pit. Frons sparsely and finely punctate, the ocellar region bearing a few more or less dense and fine punctures. Vertex almost entirely impunctate, with only a few scattered punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 28 D). Pronotum densely and finely punctate over its entire surface, except in front of the tegula with sparser and coarser punctures, revealing a more or less large impunctate surface. Pronotum with a blunt, slightly protruding tubercle in front of the tegula, sometimes barely visible. Tegula largely impunctate; basally and along scutum with fine and dense punctures; sparser behind. Scutum finely and densely punctate basally; more sparsely and coarsely punctate laterally; almost impunctate medially and apically. Scutellum finely and densely punctate all over. Metanotum densely and finely punctate; with a small impunctate area apically. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum densely and finely punctate, especially the area near the lateral area of the propodeum; anteriorly with an impunctate area (mirror); posterior part with dense and fine punctures (coalescent). Dorso-median area of propodeum densely and coarsely punctate, more sparsely punctate medially revealing an impunctate surface. Mesopleura densely and finely punctate all over. Anterior part of upper plate of metapleura densely and finely punctate on anterior two-thirds, more sparsely punctate on remainder, with a small impunctate area on posterior third. Lower plate of the metapleura mostly densely and finely punctate, with a large impunctate surface near the lateral carina of the propodeum. Apical end of hind femur bearing a row of spines. Second transverso-cubital vein arriving well after the junction between the first transverso-cubital vein and the radial area. Anterior margin of marginal cell is about 1.4 times greater than the posterior margin. Metasoma (Fig. 28 E). T 1 with a weak, pointed or blunt tubercle; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically; more coarsely and less densely punctate with a small impunctate area basally. T 2 impunctate basally; densely and finely punctate laterally; very sparsely punctate medially; finely and densely punctate apically. T 3 almost impunctate basally, except for fine and dense punctures along T 2; densely and finely punctate laterally and apically. T 4 and T 5 with similar punctation, T 4 and T 5 with similar punctation, but the central impunctate area gradually reducing. Hypopygidium with coarse and dense punctures, except apex with impunctate surface. S 1 slightly domed and impunctate, except laterally with coarse punctures forming a band meeting in the middle. S 2 with strong tubercle; with fine and dense punctures basally; impunctate medially; with dense and fine punctures on sides apically and with coarse and sparse punctures in the middle apically. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Figs 28, 29). Head black (Figs 29 B, C), sometimes more or less yellow mainly on vertex (Figs 28 B, C). Antennae black. Mesosoma and metasoma entirely black. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with blue / purple reflections. Pilosity black. Male (Fig. 30). Length 24 – 35 mm. Head (Figs 30 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus densely punctate. Frontal spatium long, densely and finely punctate; pilosity long and dense. Antennal segment XIII about 2.2 times as long as it is wide. Median ocelli slightly depressed, larger than the posterior ocelli. Distinct fissura frontalis reaching the median ocelli and passing through the frontal pit. Vertical frontal furrow distinct, its extension reaching the upper lobe of the eye. Frons densely and finely punctate, particularly around posterior ocelli. Vertex densely and finely punctate. Mesosoma (Fig. 30 D). Pronotum finely and densely punctate all over, inter-point space almost coalescent. Tegula largely coarsely and densely punctate, the rest with micropunctures. Scutum with dense and fine punctures. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures, almost impunctate apically; inter-point space medially about equal to the diameter of a point. Metanotum finely and densely punctate. Basal part of dorso-lateral area of propodeum with an impunctate area (mirror); apical part with dense and fine punctures (coalescent). Dorso-median area of propodeum densely punctate, inter-point space clearly smaller than the diameter of a puncture. Metasoma (Fig. 30 E). T 1 with weak tubercle; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically; more coarsely and less densely basally and medially. T 2 very finely and densely punctate all over, inter-point space approximately equal to the diameter of a puncture medially. T 3 with small triangular area almost impunctate medially, rest densely and finely punctate. T 4 and T 5 densely and finely punctate. S 1 slightly domed; entirely impunctate, except on the sides with coarse punctures forming a band meeting in the middle. S 2 with a tubercle, finely and densely punctate basally; with sparse and dense punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures on sides apically and with sparse punctures in the middle apically. S 3 to S 6 with similar punctation. Coloration (Fig. 30). Entirely black, sometimes with a yellowish spot on the vertex. Wings entirely dark, with greenish or bluish-purple reflections. Body pilosity entirely black. Genitalia. See Fig. 15 C.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Indonesia (Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Maluku, North Malaku, North Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Southwest Papua) (Micha 1927; Betrem 1928) (Fig. 24).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Four subspecies have been described: ssp. ducalis (Smith, 1861) from Seram, spp. intrudens (Smith, 1861) from Sulawesi, ssp. keyensis (Micha, 1927) from Key islands and ssp. velutina (Saussure, 1859) from Sulawesi and Maluku (Betrem 1928; Betrem & Bradley 1964; Osten 2005 b). All these subspecies are synonymized with the nominal subspecies for the reasons given below. M. velutina ducalis (Smith, 1861), syn. nov. can only be distinguished from the typical female form by the frons and vertex marked with yellow (Fig. 28), whereas the nominal subspecies is entirely black (Betrem 1928; Betrem & Bradley 1964) (Fig. 29). Examination of a female specimen from the island of Buru, near Seram, reveals all the characteristics of ssp. velutina, with a fully melanistic head. As with ssp. intrudens (see paragraph below), frons and vertex coloration appears to be variable, and individuals intermediate between subspecies may be encountered, regardless of locality. M. velutina ducalis is therefore considered a synonym of M. velutina.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	description	Osten 2000: 551; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 138 – 139; Osten 2005 a: 1455; Osten 2005 b: 26; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017: 5; Mokroussov & Lelej 2017: 147; Liu et al. 2021 a: 103, 114; Taylor & Barthélémy 2021: 27; Pham & van Achterberg 2023: 383; Taylor 2024 a: 995; Taylor 2024 b: 120; Barthélémy & Guenard 2025: 105.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	type_taxon	Type species. Scolia flavifrons Fabricius, 1775 [= Regiscolia maculata (Drury, 1773)], by original designation. Species included. Nine species: Regiscolia alecto (Smith, 1858), comb. nov., R. almoraensis (Gupta & Jonathan, 2003), comb. nov., R. azurea (Christ, 1791), comb. nov., R. bidens (Linnaeus, 1767), comb. nov., R. capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov., R. fulvifrons (Saussure, 1855), comb. nov., R. maculata (Drury, 1773), comb. nov., R. rubida (Gribodo, 1893), comb. nov., and R. splendida (Saussure, 1858), comb. nov. (Bradley & Betrem 1964; Gupta & Jonathan 2003).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia Betrem & Bradley, 1964, stat. nov. is distinguished from the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 in both sexes by having a dorso-median area of propodeum flat, with a distinct transition to the postero-median area, forming a ridge; and the latero-tergal area of T 3 with a groove crossing the entire sclera. In Megascolia, the dorso-median area of propodeum is sloping posteriorly, with an indistinct transition to the postero-median area; and the latero-tergal area of T 3 does not have a groove. Furthermore, females of Regiscolia stat. nov. have the pronotum without tubercle in front of the tegula; the hind basitarsus with a scopa on the inner extremity; and the apex of hind basitarsus bordered by a row of spines of very unequal size. Whereas in Megascolia, the pronotum has a more or less prominent tubercle in front of the tegula; the hind basitarsus does not have a scopa; and the apex of hind basitarsus is bordered by a dense row of spines of similar size. Regiscolia stat. nov. is distinguished from the genus Gigascolia Castagnet & Cabon, gen. nov. in both sexes by having the T 1 with a prominent tubercle instead of a vertical groove. In females, Regiscolia stat. nov. is distinguished from the genus Gigascolia Castagnet & Cabon, gen. nov. by having the inner margin of mandible with a central tooth; the head rounded; the lamina frontalis strong and prominent; the callosity of pronotum without carina; the coxae III elongated; and the T 1 campaniform, gradually widening. In Gigascolia gen. nov., the inner margin of mandible has a sharp apical tooth; the head is sub-quadrangular; the lamina frontalis is weaker, not very prominent; the callosity of pronotum has a vertical carina; the coxae III is rounded; and the T 1 is pyriform, narrowing at the basal quarter. In males, Regiscolia stat. nov. is distinguished from the genus Gigascolia Castagnet & Cabon, gen. nov. by having the inner margin of mandible with three distinct teeth; and the mesosoma long, about 1.2 to 1.3 times as long as wide. In Gigascolia gen. nov., the inner margin of mandible has two distinct teeth; and the mesosoma is larger, almost as long as wide.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	description	Redescription. Female. Mandibles with a single central tooth on the inner margin. Clypeus about twice as long as wide. Anterior margin of clypeus wide, truncated or subtruncated in median part; disk of clypeus not domed, impunctate or with rugosities; bordered by a fringe of dense setae. Lamina frontalis strong, elevated and densely punctate at the level of the frontal spatium. Frontal area forming an elongated isosceles triangle. Frons and vertex more or less densely and coarsely punctate. Rounded head, longer than wide. Mesosoma longer than wide. Callosity of pronotum without vertical carina. Pronotum without tubercle in front of tegula. Scutum wider than long. Dorso-median area of propodeum wider than long; flat, transition to postero-median area forming pronounced ridge; at the same level as the dorso-lateral areas of propodeum. Coxae III elongated, without prominent tubercle on inner surface. Hind metatarsus with scopa at inner end; apex of hind metatarsus bordered by a row of spines of very unequal size. Forewing with three submarginal cells (except for one species: R. fulvifrons). Second transverso-cubital vein arrives at or before the junction between the first transverso-cubital vein and the radial area. T 1 with a transverse tubercle, sometimes depressed in the center, but without a vertical transverse groove; campaniform, gradually widening. Apical margin of basal tergites with tight and fine punctures; long and dense pilosity forming a band. Lateral tergal area of T 3 with a groove crossing the tergite from one end to the other, this part bearing dense micro-punctures. S 1 short, raised in the middle and densely punctate over most of its surface. Male. Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Antennal articles short, segment III 1.4 to 1.8 times longer than wide. Frontal area forming an elongated isosceles triangle. Mesosoma long, clearly longer than wide. Scutum 1.4 to 1.5 times wider than long. Dorso-median area of propodeum flat, wider than long, transition to postero-median surface forming a pronounced ridge. Dorso-median and dorso-lateral areas densely and finely punctate, sometimes with a small impunctate surface. T 1 with a strong tubercle, without vertical transverse groove. Latero-tergal area of T 3 with furrow crossing tergite from one end to the other, with dense micro-punctures. S 1 raised in the middle and densely punctate over most of its surface. Genitalia (Fig. 31). Gonocoxites forming two sclerotized half-rings that touch in the middle on the ventral side and at the base on the dorsal side. Ventral part of each gonocoxite subrectangular, obliquely arranged; dorsal part larger, slightly swollen. Side of each gonocoxite extended by an elongated gonostyle, fairly wide, with subparallel margin, widening slightly towards the apex, subtruncate at the apex. Gonostylus with numerous setae; setae on outer surface fine, fairly long and dense; setae on inner surface shorter, thicker, spiniform and less numerous, in addition to fine, longer, scattered setae. Distal part of volsella elongated (about twice as high as wide), progressively narrowed, pointed at apex, like a knife blade. Basal part with rounded basal lobe at proximal edge. Basal and distal parts of volsella separated by distinct, fairly deep notch. Ventral side of basal part of volsella has fairly long, spaced setae. Distal part has a few spaced, mostly short setae, a few longer setae on outer edge. Brown sensory conules, 25 to 50 μm long, present at different levels of the volsella: a dozen closely spaced conules are located at the end of the lateral lobe of the basal part; numerous conules arranged in several irregular rows along the lateral edge of the volsella, in its middle part; two groups of two or three conules in a more distal position. Aedeagus almost reaching the gonostyles in length. Sclerified penile valves joined by membrane, which forms a rounded cap at the apex of the aedeagus. Ventral edge of the distal part of the penile valve provided with about fifteen sclerified teeth, arranged in an almost straight line, progressively increasing from the apex to the base; basal teeth spaced further apart, irregularly shaped.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Mainly Palaearctic, Indomalayan, and Australasian (only the islands north of Australia and east of Papua): Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Egypt, France, Georgia, Greece, Hong-Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgistan, Kuwait, Laos, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Malaysia, Morocco, Myanmar, The Netherlands, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, The Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Vietnam (Betrem 1928; Guiglia 1940; Betrem 1941; Betrem 1947; Steinberg 1962; Baltazar 1966; Nagy 1967; Pagliano 1987; Osten 2000; Gupta & Jonathan 2003; Osten 2005 a; Bogusch 2007; Özbek & Anlaş 2011; Juillerat 2013; Samin et al. 2014; Olszewski et al. 2016; Nidup et al. 2017; Al-Azab 2020; Baldock et al. 2020; Verheyde et al. 2021; Demetriou et al. 2021; Liu et al. 2021 a; Taylor & Barthélémy 2021; Verheyde et al. 2023; Pham & van Achterberg 2023) (fig. 32).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFBDFF9663E409E9FA05D5AA.taxon	discussion	Remarks. The taxon philippinensis Rohwer, 1921, usually regarded as a valid species, is here treated as a senior synonym of alecto Smith, 1858. Osten (2005 b) includes one additional species in the subgenus Regiscolia, Scolia (T.) hageni Betrem, 1928. Nevertheless, this species is placed here in synonymy with Regiscolia azurea (Christ, 1791) (see remarks of R. azurea). Argaman (1996) proposed splitting the subgenus Regiscolia sensu Betrem & Bradley (1964) into nine genera (Ascolia, Elpaholta, Guigliana, Laskariska, Paconzitva, Regiscolia, Sugorpilfa, Xirgoniqua, Zazilayza), practically one genus for each known species. This subdivision was revised and invalidated by Taylor (2024 a).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFACFF9D63E409B0FA04D7D7.taxon	description	(Figs 49 – 54)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFACFF9D63E409B0FA04D7D7.taxon	description	Osten 2005 b: 26 (nomen novum for Scolia cincta Smith, 1858). Megascolia (Regiscolia) philippinensis: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 443; Baltazar 1966: 230; Osten 2005 b: 40. Paconzitva alecto: Argaman 1996: 196. Sugorpilfa philippinensis: Argaman 1996: 196.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFACFF9D63E409B0FA04D7D7.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Indonesia. South Sulawesi province. 1 ♀ 3 ♂, Tompobulu, 12. XI. 2020 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Palolo, 4. XII. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. West Kalimantan province. 1 ♀, Mont Bawang, 10. IX. 2014 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. The Philippines. Baatan province. 2 ♀ 1 ♂, Mariveles, 10 - 15. V. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Cotabato province. 1 ♀, Alamanda, 8. XII. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Arakan, 10. IV. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. North Samar province. 1 ♀, Lope de Vega, 26. XI. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. South Agusan province. 1 ♂, San Luis, 10. IV. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. South Davao province. 1 ♀, Kapatagan, 18. II. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 9. III. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFACFF9D63E409B0FA04D7D7.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia alecto (Smith, 1858), comb. nov. differs from R. almoraensis (Gupta & Jonathan, 2003), comb. nov., R. bidens (Linnaeus, 1767), comb. nov., R. maculata (Drury, 1773), comb. nov., and R. rubida (Gribodo, 1893), comb. nov., in females by having the apical part of scutum with sparse punctures medially or without puctures, thus not forming a continuous band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum distinctly longer than the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 has finer and denser punctures forming a band, the median part being sparsely and coarsely punctate. In contrast, in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida the apical part of scutum has a denser and uninterrupted band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum is shorter, approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 has sparser punctures similar to those of the median part. In males, R. alecto differs by having the area around and between the posterior ocelli with sparse and coarse punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum significantly greater than that of the metanotum. In contrast, in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, the area around and between the posterior ocelli has very denser, tighter, finer, and agglomerated punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum is nearly equal to that of the metanotum. In both sexes, the wings of R. alecto are entirely dark. Whereas in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, they are bicolored, yellowish in the cells and dark elsewhere (in R. almoraensis the wings are almost entirely black). R. alecto is easily distinguished from R. capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov. in both sexes by having the head with coarse and dense punctures; and the mesosoma and metasoma entirely melanistic. In contrast, in R. capitata the head is almost entirely impunctate with finer and sparser punctures; and the scutellum, metanotum, dorso-median area of propodeum, T 1, and T 3 are generally marked with yellow.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFACFF9D63E409B0FA04D7D7.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 49). Length 32 – 40 mm. Head (Figs 49 B, C). Mandibles short and thickened at the apex. Median mandibular tooth small and prominent, sometimes blunt. Anterior margin of clypeus rounded, without prominent lateral lobes; disk of clypeus not-domed and reticulated apically. Fissura frontalis weak and inconspicuous. Frons with numerous and sparse punctures. Vertex almost impunctate, except behind posterior ocelli with few sparse punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 49 D). Pronotum finely and densely punctate over its entire surface. Tegula with coarse punctures at base and along scutum; with micro-punctures often effaced on rest. Scutum finely and densely punctate basally; more sparsely laterally, except for lateral corners with very dense and fine punctures; largely impunctate medially and apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally; sparser medially and apically, with distinctly impunctate surfaces. Metanotum finely and densely punctate with a small impunctate central band. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum densely and finely punctate, anteriorly with an impunctate area (mirror). Dorso-median area of propodeum clearly longer than the length of the metanotum; punctures fine and dense over its entire surface. Upper plate of metapleuron impunctate on its lower third, finely and densely punctate on the rest. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Hind tibiae spurs of similar length. Metasoma (Fig. 49 E). T 1 with a tubercle not depressed in the middle; coarsely and sparsely punctate basally revealing a small impunctate area in its center; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically. Basal part of T 2 densely and finely punctate continuous along its entire width; very sparsely punctate medially; very finely and densely punctate apically. T 3 almost entirely impunctate basally and medially; densely and finely punctate apically. T 4 to T 5 with similar punctation, but the central impunctate area gradually reduced. S 1 densely and finely punctate over its entire surface. S 2 with strong tubercle; with fine and dense punctures basally; with sparse and coarse punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures on sides apically, sparsely punctate in the middle apically. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Figs 49, 51). Head marked with yellow on frons and vertex; ocellar region black. Antennae black. Mesosoma black. Metasoma black. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with blue / purple or blue / greenish reflections. Body pilosity black. In subspecies regnatrix (Fig. 50) as in the nominotypical subspecies (Fig. 49), except with the apical fringes of T 2, sometimes those of T 3 in part and those of T 5 in the middle reddish. The subspecies philippinensis (Fig. 51) is not distinguishable from the nominotypical subspecies. Male (Fig. 52). Length 25 – 29 mm. Head (Figs 52 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with few shallow and sparse punctures medially, denser and coarser punctures basally and laterally. Fissura frontalis barely visible after the frontal spatium, not reaching the anterior ocellus. Frontal cross-furrow barely visible, its extension reaching the upper lobe of the eye. Frontal spatium with dense, tight and fine punctures. Anterior ocelli depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with dense and coarse punctures, except in front of anterior ocellus with an impunctate area. Vertex behind the ocelli with sparse and fine punctures, dense punctures near the occipital carina. Mesosoma (Fig. 52 D). Pronotum with dense, tight and fine punctures over its entire surface, inter-points spaces almost coalescent. Tegula with few coarse punctures anteriorly, with shallow and dense micropunctures on the rest. Scutum with fine and dense punctures, more sparser apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, sparser and coarser medially and mostly impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine and dense punctures laterally, impunctate line in the middle. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with a large impunctate area (mirror); with fine, dense and deep punctures; in front of mirror, with a patch of very fine and dense punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum with coarse and dense punctures over its entire surface. Anterior margin of the marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Metasoma (Fig. 52 E). T 1 with a strong tubercle; very dense and fine punctures laterally and apically; more coarsely and sparsely punctate basally at the level of tubercle. T 2 with fine and dense punctures; more denser and finer punctures basally and apically, at these levels pilosity forming a large band. T 3 largely impunctate medially, with very dense and fine punctures apically, less dense and sparse basally. T 4 - T 6 similarly punctate, but the central impunctate area smaller. S 1 raised in the middle, with dense punctures. S 2 with dense and fine punctures basally, sparser laterally, mostly impunctate medially and apically. S 3 with very sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S 4 - S 6 similarly punctate. Coloration (Figs 52, 53). Frons, vertex and tempora yellow-orange, black on the rest. Clypeus black in philippinensis (Fig. 53), yellow-orange in nominal subspecies (Fig. 52). Mesosoma and metasoma black. Pilosity black. The male of subspecies regnatrix is unknown. Genitalia. See Fig. 31 A.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFACFF9D63E409B0FA04D7D7.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Indonesia (North Maluku, South Sulawesi, West Kalimantan), The Philippines (Baatan, Batangas, Cotabato, Laguna, North Samar, South Agusan, South Davao) (Rohwer 1921; Micha 1927; Betrem 1928 1941; Betrem & Bradley 1964) (Fig. 54). Betrem (1928, 1941) mentions the locality of Malacca (a city in Malaysia) for two female specimens of Scolia alecto. These identifications appear doubtful, these specimens mostly belong to R. azurea (see remarks of R. azurea).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFACFF9D63E409B0FA04D7D7.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFACFF9D63E409B0FA04D7D7.taxon	discussion	Remarks. To date, two subspecies have been recognized (Betrem & Bradley 1964; Osten 2005 b): ssp. alecto alecto (Smith, 1858) from Sulawesi and ssp. regnatrix Betrem & Bradley, 1964 from Borneo, known only from the female. R. alecto regnatrix differs from the nominate subspecies (Fig. 49) only in female, with all-black pilosity, and reddish apical pilosity on T 2, T 5 and pygidium (sometimes also on T 1 and / or T 3) (Fig. 50). We were able to examine two females whose coloration conforms to the original description, and this taxon appears to be restricted to Borneo. Examination of numerous specimens of Scolia (Triscolia) philippinensis Rohwer, 1921, syn. nov. shows that this taxon is synonym with Scolia alecto Smith, 1858. The males of S. (T.) philippinensis differ only from the males of R. alecto alecto by the clypeus entirely black (Fig. 53), whereas in R. alecto alecto it is almost entirely orange (Fig. 52). There are no morphological or coloration differences in females (Figs 49, 51), contrary to what is stated by Betrem (1928). S. (T.) philippinensis must now be considered as a subspecies of R. alecto. Regiscolia alecto philippinensis (Rohwer, 1921), stat. nov. is known only from The Philippines.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFA4FF9863E40D5CFCDED3CF.taxon	description	(Figs 55 – 57)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFA4FF9863E40D5CFCDED3CF.taxon	materials_examined	Type material examined. Holotype of Megascolia (Regiscolia) almoraensis (ZSI), ♂, [red label] ‘ HOLOTYPE / Megascolia / almorensis, n. sp. / S. K. Gupta, 1986 ’, [white labels] ‘ INDIA U. P. / Tilwara. / Almora Dist. / Alt. 3000 ft. 21. IX. 1958 / B. S. Lamba’, ‘ 8877 / H 3 ’ (Fig. 58). Paratype of Megascolia (Regiscolia) almoraensis (ZSI), ♂, [white label] ‘ PARATYPE / Megascolia / almorensis, n. sp. / S. K. Gupta, 1986 ’, [yellow label] ‘ INDIA U. P. / Tilwara. / Almora Dist. / Alt. 3000 ft. 21. IX. 1958 / B. S. Lamba’, [white label] ‘ 8878 / H 3] (Fig. 58). Other material examined. Pakistan. 2 ♀ 7 ♂, Khyber Pakhtunk, 7 km S Balakot, 34,4804 N, 73,353 E, 861 m, 12. IV. 2025 (C. Schmid-Egger leg.) [CCSE]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, same data [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same data [CFC]; 10 ♂, same data [CWHL].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFA4FF9863E40D5CFCDED3CF.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia almoraensis (Gupta & Jonathan, 2003), comb. nov. shares a similar habitus with Indomalayan species such as R. azurea (Christ, 1791), comb. nov. and R. fulvifrons (Saussure, 1855), comb. nov. However, morphologically, R. almoraensis is more closely related to Palaearctic species such as R. bidens (Linnaeus, 1767), comb. nov., R. maculata (Drury, 1773), comb. nov., and R. rubida (Gribodo, 1893), comb. nov. R. almoraensis differs from R. alecto, R. azurea, R. capitata and R. fulvifrons in females by having the apical part of scutum with a dense, uninterrupted band of punctures along the scutellum; and the basal part of T 2 with sparse punctures similar to those of the median part. In contrast, R. alecto, R. azurea, R. capitata and R. fulvifrons have the apical part of scutum with sparser punctures or without punctures, not forming a continuous band; and the basal part of T 2 has finer and denser punctures forming a band, the median part being sparsely and coarsely punctate. R. almoraensis differs from R. bidens and R. maculata in females by having the pronotum with coarse and sparse punctures; and the basal part of scutum with dense and coarse punctures. In contrast, in R. bidens and R. maculata, the pronotum and the basal part of scutum are mostly covered with finer, denser, and tighter punctures.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFA4FF9863E40D5CFCDED3CF.taxon	description	R. almoraensis differs from R. rubida in females by having the pronotum covered with coarse and sparse punctures. Whereas in R. rubida, the pronotum has a large impunctate area close to the tegula. R. almoraensis also differs from R. bidens, R. maculata and R. rubida in both sexes by its general habitus. The wings are almost entirely black, and only the T 3 (occasionally with two small spots on T 4) is marked with an orange-reddish coloration. In contrast, in R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, the wings are clearly bicolored, and both T 2 and T 3 have yellowish markings (in males of R. bidens only T 3 marked with yellow but flagellum yellow). In males, R. almoraensis differs from Regiscolia azurea, R. alecto, R. fulvifrons and R. splendida, by having the area around and between the posterior ocelli with very dense, tight, fine, and agglomerated punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum nearly equal to that of the metanotum. In contrast, in Regiscolia azurea, R. alecto and R. fulvifrons, the area around and between the posterior ocelli has sparser and coarser punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum is significantly greater than that of the metanotum. R. almoraensis is distinguished from R. capitata in males by having an entirely black mesosoma. Whereas in R. capitata, the mesosoma is marked with yellow on the scutellum, metanotum and dorso-median area of the propodeum. Description of the female (Fig. 55). Length 28 – 33 mm. Head (Figs 55 B, C). Mandibles long and slender. Median mandibular tooth small and prominent, sometimes blunt. Anterior margin of clypeus rounded, without prominent lateral lobes; disk of clypeus not-domed and punctate apically and laterally; impunctate in the middle. Fissura frontalis distinct, ending in the frontal pit. Frons with numerous and dense punctures. Vertex densely punctate. Mesosoma (Fig. 55 D). Pronotum with fine and dense punctures near the occiput, with coarse and sparse punctures on the rest. Tegula with coarse and sparse punctures at base and along scutum. Scutum with coarse and dense punctures on the basal quarter; with sparse and coarse punctures laterally; largely impunctate medially; with a fine, dense, and continuous band of punctures apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally and medially, with sparse and coarse punctures laterally, largely impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine, tight and dense punctures laterally, with sparse and coarser punctures medially. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with very dense, tight and fine punctures, without an impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly. Dorso-median area of propodeum with two protruding projections prolonged towards the rear; approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; with very fine, tight dense punctures. Upper plate of metapleura impunctate on the lower two-thirds, densely punctate on the rest. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Hind tibiae spurs of similar length. Metasoma (Fig. 55 E). T 1 with a tubercle depressed in the middle; coarsely and sparsely punctate basally revealing a large impunctate area near the tubercle; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically. T 2 with scattered and coarse punctures basally and medially; with very fine, tight and dense punctures apically. T 3 almost entirely impunctate basally and medially; with dense, tight and fine punctures apically. T 4 to T 5 with similar punctation. S 1 with dense and fine punctures laterally, mostly impunctate on the rest. S 2 without distinct tubercle; basally with fine and dense punctures; with sparse and coarse punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures apically, with sparse punctures medially. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Fig. 55). Head marked with orange-reddish on frons, vertex and tempora; ocellar region brownish. Antennae black. Mesosoma entirely black. Metasoma with T 3 with two orange-reddish spots, T 4 sometimes weakly marked with orange-reddish coloration. Legs black. Wings almost entirely dark with bluish-green iridescence, yellowish area restricted to the costal margin near the marginal cell. Pilosity black, except in the colored areas. Redescription of the male (Fig. 56). Length 19 - 25 mm. Head (Figs 56 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with sparse punctures apically, dense and coarse punctures basally and laterally. Fissura frontalis visible reaching anterior ocelli. Frontal cross-furrow visible, its extension reaching the upper part of the ocular sinus. Frontal spatium with dense, tight and fine punctures. Anterior ocelli depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with dense, fine and tight punctures, impunctate in front of the anterior ocellus. Vertex with fine, tight and dense punctures, particularly around the posterior ocelli. Mesosoma (Fig. 56 D). Pronotum with dense, tight and fine punctures over its entire surface, inter-points spaces almost coalescent. Tegula with dense and coarse punctures anteriorly and along the scutum, largely impunctate near the wing. Scutum with fine, tight and dense punctures in its anterior third; with dense and fine punctures on the rest. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, sparser medially and mostly impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine and dense punctures laterally, impunctate line in the middle. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum without impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly; with fine, dense and tight punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum with two protruding projections prolonged towards the rear; with very fine, tight dense punctures. Anterior margin of the marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Metasoma (Fig. 56 E). T 1 with a strong tubercle; with dense, fine and tight punctures over its entire surface. T 2 with fine, tight and dense punctures, clearly sparse medially. T 3 with sparse punctures laterally; dense punctures medially; fine and dense punctures apically. T 4 - T 6 densely punctate. S 1 raised in the middle, with dense punctures medially. S 2 without tubercle; with dense and fine punctures basally and laterally, sparser medially and apically. S 3 with sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S 4 - S 6 similarly punctate. Coloration (Fig. 56). Head black, marked with orange-reddish on the ocular sinus and behind the eyes. Antennae black. Mesosoma entirely black. Metasoma with T 3 with two orange-reddish spots, T 4 sometimes weakly marked with orange-reddish coloration. Legs black. Wings almost entirely dark with bluish-green iridescence, yellowish area restricted to the costal margin near the marginal cell. Pilosity black, except in the colored areas. Genitalia. See Fig. 31 B.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFA4FF9863E40D5CFCDED3CF.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India (Uttarakhand), Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; new record) (Guta & Jonathan 2003) (Fig. 57).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFA4FF9863E40D5CFCDED3CF.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. The specimens were observed foraging on the flowers of Pseudocaryopteris sp. (Lamiaceae) (Fig. 59).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFA4FF9863E40D5CFCDED3CF.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Gupta & Jonathan (2003) described Megascolia (Regiscolia) almoraensis from India on the basis of two males deposited at the Zoological Survey of India (state, city). They have brought this species closer to R. fulvifrons in their diagnosis by its habitus. However, although this species shares a similar habitus with Oriental species, it is morphologically much closer to the Mediterranean Regiscolia, particularly in the punctation of the scutum and the shape and punctation of the dorso-median area of the propodeum, thus appearing to represent a transitional form with species from the Indo-Malayan region.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFDEFFE963E408E0FA05D01B.taxon	description	(Figs 60 – 65)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFDEFFE963E408E0FA05D01B.taxon	description	Van Achterberg 2023: 383. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea azurea var. rubiginosa: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 443; Osten 2005 b: 27. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea azurea var. democratica: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 443; Osten 2005 b: 27. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea christiana: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 443; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 145 – 147; Osten 2005 b: 27; Kumar 2009: 105 – 107; Kumar & Pham 2015: 326; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017: 5; Nidup et al. 2017: 13. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea christiana var. magnifica: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 444. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea siamensis: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 444; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 145; Osten 2005 b: 27. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea cochinensis: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 444; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 145; Osten 2005 b: 27; Pham & Van Achterberg 2023: 383. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea hindostana: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 444; Bradley 1972: 10; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 147 – 148; Osten 2005 b: 27; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017: 5; Jadhav & Gaikwad 2019: 373. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea rubiginosa: Bradley & Betrem 1964: 23; Baltazar 1966: 230. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea azurea form democratica: Bradley 1972: 8. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea azurea form rubiginosa: Bradley 1972: 8. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea azurea form magnifica: Bradley 1974: 450 – 451. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea michaae: Krombein 1978: 5, 24; Krombein 1995: 84; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 145; Osten 2005 b: 27. Guigliana azurea: Argaman 1996: 196. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea: Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 145; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017: 5; Liu et al. 2021 a: 103, 114; Liu et al. 2021 b: 148; Taylor & Barthélémy 2021: 28; Golfetti et al. 2025: 3, 10; Barthélémy & Guenard 2025: 105. Megascolia (Regiscolia) azurea azurea var. magnifica: Osten 2005 b: 27. Megascolia cf. azurea: Khouri et al. 2022: 24 – 28, 37 – 38. Megascolia cf. hageni: Khouri et al. 2022: 24 – 29, 31 – 34, 36 – 38.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFDEFFE963E408E0FA05D01B.taxon	materials_examined	Type material examined. Holotype of Triscolia vespillo Gribodo, 1893 (MSNG), ♀, ‘ Coll. Gribodo / Perak’, ‘ Vespillo / G Grib’, ‘ TYPUS’, ‘ HOLOTYPE / vespillo gr / Teste, 1929. / J. C. Bradley’ (Fig. 66). Holotype of Scolia hageni Betrem, 1928 (RMNH), ♀, ‘ Dr. B. Hagen. / Tandjong Morawa. / Serdang / (C. O. Sumatra) ’, ‘ Scolia / hageni Betr / Holotype / det. Betrem’ (Fig. 67). Allotype of Scolia hageni Betrem, 1928 (RMNH), ♂, ‘ Ludeking / Sumatra’, ‘ Scolia / hageni Betr. / Allotype / det. Betrem’ (Fig. 68). Other material examined. Cambodia. Kampong Cham province. 4 ♂, Lve, Kaoh Soutin, 18. II. 2024 (F. Cabon & P. Bun leg.) [CFC]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, same place, 19. II. 2024 (F. Cabon & P. Bun leg.) [CFC]. Battambang province. 1 ♀, Voat kor, 16. III. 2024 (F. Cabon leg.) [CFC]. Takeo province. 5 ♂, Phnom Takhmao, Kirisu farms, 9. VI. 2022 (P. - O. Maquart leg.) [CFC, CJBC]. Ratanakiri province. 1 ♀, Veun Sai, Kaoh Piek, 15. IV. 2022 (P. - O. Maquart leg.) [CPOM]. China. Yunnan province. 1 ♀, Mangyun, 12. VI. 2020 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 1. VI. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. India. Arunachal Pradesh state. 1 ♀, Dalfa hills, 12. V. 2003 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Indonesia. Bali province. 1 ♂, mount Batur, 23. XII. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Baten province. 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Tjitorek, 2. V. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 3 ♂, same place, 17. II. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Central Sulawesi province. 2 ♀ 3 ♂, Peleng, 10. X. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. East Java province. 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Mont Argopuro, 11. I. 2007 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 9. IV. 2011 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀ 2 ♂, same place, 26. XII. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Nusa tenggara province. 1 ♀ 2 ♂, Lombok Isl., Sembalun Lawang, 14. XII. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. West Kalimantan. 2 ♂, Lumar, 28. V. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 4 ♀, same place, 21. IV. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Mont Bawang, 14. VII. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Laos. Vientiane province. 1 ♀, Vientiane, 15. III. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Malaysia. Perak state. 1 ♂, Batang Padang, Bidor, 5. VII. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Sabah state. 3 ♀, Mount Trusmadi, 12. IV. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Sri Lanka. Eastern Province. 1 ♂, Thiriyai, 14. III. 1976 (NMNH). Thailand. Chiang Mai province. 1 ♀, Chiang Mai, 23. X. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, IX. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 29. IX. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 12. VII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 20. V. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Choeng Doi, 9. X. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Vietnam. Lai Châu province. 1 ♂, Lai Châu, 13. IV. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Lâm Đ ồng province. 3 ♀ 1 ♂, Đambri, 2. II. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, same place, 27. VII. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Qu ảng Bình province. 2 ♀, Lâm Th ủy, 13. III. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 12. IV. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 21. IV. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Thua Thien-Huê province. 3 ♂, Bach Ma, 10. VIII. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 3 ♂, Hue, 21. VIII. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Yên Bái province. 1 ♂, Yên Bái, 3. III. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 7. IV. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 15. IV. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 10. VII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 13. VII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀, same place, 11. IX. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, same place, 4. V. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 7 ♂, same place, 18. IV. 2024 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, same place, 26. VII. 2024 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFDEFFE963E408E0FA05D01B.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia azurea (Christ, 1791), comb. nov. differs from R. almoraensis (Gupta & Jonathan, 2003), comb. nov., R. bidens (Linnaeus, 1767), comb. nov., R. maculata (Drury, 1773), comb. nov., and R. rubida (Gribodo, 1893), comb. nov. in females by having the apical part of scutum with sparse punctures medially or without punctures, thus not forming a continuous band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum distinctly longer than the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 has finer and denser punctures forming a band, the median part being sparsely and coarsely punctate. In contrast, in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, the apical part of scutum has a denser and uninterrupted band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum is shorter, approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 has sparser punctures similar to those of the median part. In males, R. azurea differs by having the area around and between the posterior ocelli with sparse and coarse punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum significantly greater than that of the metanotum. In contrast, in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, the area around and between the posterior ocelli has denser, tighter, finer, and agglomerated punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum is nearly equal to that of the metanotum. In both sexes, the wings of R. azurea are entirely dark, whereas in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida they are bicolored, yellowish in the cells and dark elsewhere (in R. almoraensis the wings are almost entirely black). R. azurea is easily distinguished from R. capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov. in both sexes by having the head with coarse and dense punctures; and the mesosoma entirely melanistic. In contrast, in R. capitata the head is almost entirely impunctate, with finer and sparser punctures; and the scutellum, metanotum, dorso-median area of propodeum are marked with yellow. R. azurea is distinguished from R. alecto (Smith, 1858), comb. nov. in female by having the pronotum with coarse and sparse punctures on the posterior half, and a large impunctate area in front of the pronotal excavation; the transition between the dorso-median and postero-median areas of propodeum forming a protruding ridge; and the basal part of T 2 with dense and fine punctures forming a band interrupted medially. In contrast, in R. azurea the pronotum has denser, tighter, and finer punctures over its entire surface; the transition between the dorso-median and postero-median areas of propodeum forms an angle without a protrusion; and the basal part of T 2 has denser and finer punctures forming a continuous band across its entire width. In males, R. azurea differs by having the basal part of T 1 with an impunctate area at the level of the tubercle; and the metasoma with reddish apical pilosity. Whereas in R. alecto, the T 1 has denser and finer punctures across its entire surface; and the metasomal pilosity is entirely black.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFDEFFE963E408E0FA05D01B.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 60). Length 28 – 40 mm. Head (Figs 60 B, C). Mandibles short and thickened at the apex. Median mandibular tooth small and prominent, sometimes blunt. Anterior margin of clypeus rounded, without prominent lateral lobes; disk of clypeus not-domed and reticulated apically. Fissura frontalis strong ending at the frontal pit. Frons with numerous and sparse punctures. Vertex almost impunctate, except behind posterior ocelli with some sparse punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 60 D). Pronotum finely and densely punctate basally, more coarsely and sparsely punctate on the rest. Tegula with coarse punctures at base and along scutum; with micro-punctures often effaced on rest. Scutum coarsely and sparsely punctate basally; more sparsely laterally, except for lateral corners with very dense and fine punctures; largely impunctate medially and apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures along the scutum; sparser and coarser medially and apically, with distinctly impunctate surfaces. Metanotum finely and densely punctate with a small impunctate central band. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum densely and finely punctate, basally with an impunctate area (mirror). Dorso-median area of propodeum clearly longer than the length of the metanotum; punctures fine and dense over its entire surface. Upper plate of metapleuron impunctate on its lower half, finely and densely punctate on the rest. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than or equal to posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Hind tibiae spurs of similar length. Metasoma (Fig. 60 E). T 1 with a tubercle, either depressed in the middle or not; coarsely and sparsely punctate at base revealing a small impunctate area medially; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically. T 2 densely and finely punctate basally, punctation interrupted in the middle; very sparsely punctate medially; very finely and densely punctate apically. T 3 almost entirely impunctate basally and medially; densely and finely punctate apically. T 4 to T 5 with similar punctation, but the central impunctate area gradually reduced. S 1 densely and finely punctate medially and apically. S 2 with weak tubercle; with fine and dense punctures at base; with sparse and coarse punctures in center; with dense and fine punctures on sides apically, sparsely punctate in the middle apically. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctures. Coloration (Figs 60, 61). Frons, vertex and tempora orange-reddish (generally ssp. hindostana and michaae) or yellowish orange (generally ssp. azurea). Mesosoma black with black pilosity, sometimes with red spots on pronotum. In the subspecies hindostana (Fig. 61), metasoma black with a pair of large, rounded reddish spots on T 3, and most of T 4 and T 5 also exhibit reddish coloration. Metasomal pilosity black, except for reddish pilosity on T 3 – T 6 (occasionally T 2 with a few reddish setae, or the pygidium with black pilosity). In subspecies michaae, as in hindostana, but clypeus partially or entirely orange-reddish. In subspecies azurea (Fig. 60), metasoma black, T 4 and T 5 often marked with small orange-reddish spots. Metasomal pilosity black, except for reddish pilosity on T 4 – T 6 (sometimes also apically on T 3). Some specimens from Malaysia exhibit entirely black metasomal pilosity or almost so, in contrast to the typically reddish pilosity observed in azurea. (see remarks). Male (Fig. 62). Length 22 – 33 mm. Head (Figs 62 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with few coarse punctures medially, denser and finer punctures laterally. Fissura frontalis indistinct, not reaching the median ocelli. Frontal cross-furrow barely visible, its extension reaching the upper lobe of the eye. Frontal spatium with dense, tight and fine punctures. Anterior ocelli shallowly depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with dense and coarse punctures, except in front of anterior ocellus with an impunctate area. Vertex behind the ocelli with sparse and fine punctures, dense punctures near the occipital carina. Mesosoma (Fig. 62 D). Pronotum with dense and fine punctures over its entire surface, inter-points spaces almost coalescent. Tegula with few coarse punctures anteriorly, with shallow and dense micropunctures on the rest. Scutum with fine and dense punctures, denser and finer basally, coarser laterally. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, sparser and coarser medially and mostly impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine and dense punctures laterally, impunctate line in the middle. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with an impunctate area (mirror); with fine and dense punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum with coarse and dense punctures over its entire surface, inter-point spaces smaller than the diameter of a punctures. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Metasoma (Fig. 62 E). T 1 with a strong tubercle; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically; more coarsely and sparsely basally and medially. T 2 with fine and dense punctures; more denser and finer punctures basally and apically, at these levels pilosity forming a large band of punctures. T 3 impunctate medially, with very dense and fine punctures apically, less dense and sparse basally. T 4 - T 6 similarly punctate, but the central impunctate area smaller. S 1 raised in the middle, with dense punctures medially, with few punctures apically. S 2 with dense and fine punctures anteriorly, sparser laterally, mostly impunctate medially and apically. S 3 with very sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S 4 - S 6 similarly punctate. Coloration (Figs 62 – 64). Head black, sometimes with orange or reddish spot on ocular sinus and behind eyes. Mesosoma black. In the subspecies hindostana (Fig. 63) and azurea (Fig. 62), metasoma black with a pair of large, rounded reddish spots on T 3 (sometimes absent in ssp. azurea), and most of T 4 - T 6 and often T 7 also exhibit reddish coloration. Metasomal pilosity black, except for reddish pilosity on T 3 – T 7 (occasionally T 2 shows a few reddish setae apically in ssp. hindostana, or sometimes black pilosity on T 3 in ssp. azurea). In michaae (Fig. 64), as in hindostana, but the head and clypeus mostly orange-reddish. Genitalia. See Fig. 31 C.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFDEFFE963E408E0FA05D01B.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan), India (Andaman Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal), Indonesia (Bali, Bangka Belitung Islands, Baten, Central Java, Central Sulawesi, East Java, Lampung, Jakarta, West Java, West Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, West Sumatra), Laos, Malaysia (Perak, Sabah, Selangor), Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam (Paiva 1907; Vitalis de Salvaza 1919; Micha 1927; Betrem 1928, 1941, 1947; Krombein 1978; Gupta & Jonathan 2003; Kumar, 2009; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017; Nidup et al. 2017; Jadhav & Gaikwad 2019; Liu et al. 2021 a; Taylor & Barthélémy 2021) (Fig. 65).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFDEFFE963E408E0FA05D01B.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. The only known hosts are Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus, 1758) and Xylotrupes gideon (Linnaeus, 1767) (Leefmans 1915, 1921; Betrem 1928). In Cambodia, groups of males were observed flying around bamboo clumps in semi-urban areas (FC pers. obs.). A female was observed walking and searching on the ground in a papaya field (FC pers. obs.).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFDEFFE963E408E0FA05D01B.taxon	discussion	Remarks. To date, six subspecies have been recognized (Gupta & Jonathan 2003; Osten 2005 b): ssp. azurea (Christ, 1791) from Borneo to Java, Sumatra, Malakka (city), Southern China, ssp. christiana (Guiglia & Betrem, 1958) from Myanmar, Bangladesh and northern India, ssp. cochinensis (Betrem, 1928) from Vietnam, ssp. hindostana (Micha, 1927) from southern India, michaae (Betrem, 1928) from Sri Lanka and ssp. siamensis (Betrem, 1928) from Thailand. Betrem & Bradley (1964) listed only five, but the ssp. michaae Betrem, 1928 from Sri Lanka seems to have been overlooked. These subspecies differ in the absence or presence of maculation on certain parts of the body, and in the extent of reddish pilosity on the metasoma. Only the subspecies ssp. azurea, ssp. hindostana and ssp. michaae are considered valid here. R. azurea cochinensis is known only from two females in southern Vietnam (Cap St. Jacques, now Vũng Tàu). Betrem (1928) gave only a brief description: “ like subspecies azurea, but abdomen entirely black except for two spots on T 3 and T 4. Abdomen entirely black, with only a few red setae behind the spots ”. R. azurea hindostana differs from R. azurea christiana in females only by the presence of black setae on the pygidium, whereas they are reddish in ssp. christiana, and in males by subtle variations in coloration on the head and pilosity (Gupta & Jonathan 2003; Nidup et al. 2017). All the female specimens examined in this study from Cambodia, China, India, Thailand and Vietnam belong to either ssp. christiana or ssp. hindostana, and many females show a mixture of reddish and black setae on the pygidium. It is therefore difficult to know to which subspecies these females should be attributed. The presence of ssp. azurea in China (Gupta & Jonathan 2003) seems doubtful and should be attributed to ssp. christiana (Betrem 1941, 1947; Guiglia & Betrem 1958). Examination of a large sample of R. azurea specimens from throughout its range revealed three distinct groups corresponding to well-defined subspecies. The first subspecies, R. azurea michaae (Fig. 64), is strictly localized to Sri Lanka; the second, R. azurea azurea (Figs 60, 62), is distributed in insular and peninsular Southeast Asia, mainly in Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia; and the third, R. azurea hindostana (Figs 61, 63), occupies continental Asia. R. azurea cochinensis (Betrem, 1928), syn. nov. and R. azurea christiana (Guiglia & Betrem, 1958), syn. nov. are therefore considered junior subjective synonyms of R. azurea hindostana (Micha, 1927). A subspecies known as siamensis Betrem, 1928 is found locally in Southeast Asia (part of Thailand, Cambodia), and concerns female specimens with the pronotum more or less marked with red (Betrem, 1928). As this taxon is restricted to females and a limited geographical area, it is preferable to consider the ssp. siamensis as a simple local form rather than as a distinct taxonomic entity. Examination of the types male and female of Scolia (Triscolia) hageni Betrem, 1928, syn. nov. (Figs 67, 68) reveals that this species is a synonym of R. azurea. The female has an abnormally black head (Figs 67 B, C), but displays all the criteria of R. azurea. A similar variation in the yellow coloration of the head in females is observed in R. maculata, with specimens ranging from entirely yellow to almost entirely black. In Malaysia, particularly in the vicinity of Malacca (city) and on Borneo island, some female specimens of R. azurea exhibit an entirely black pilosity, or occasionally only the pygidium or T 5 is partially tinged with reddish. These fully melanistic specimens, in which only the head has yellow-orange markings, display a general habitus very similar to R. alecto and can easily be misidentified (see key to Regiscolia species). Betrem (1928, 1941) mentioned the locality of Malacca for two melanistic female specimens, which he associated though with some doubt, with Scolia (Triscolia) alecto, hesitating between that and S. (T.) azurea. In doing so, he synonymized Triscolia vespillo, which shows the same habitus and also comes from Malacca, with S. (Triscolia) alecto (as Micha 1927 had before him). Nevertheless, examination of the holotype female of Triscolia vespillo reveals a problematic specimen with features intermediate between azurea and alecto (Fig. 66). However, the pronotum shows coarse and sparse punctures in its posterior half, leaving a large impunctate area characteristic of azurea. To date, only melanistic females have been found, and the male of alecto has never been reported from Malacca, pending the examination of a larger number of melanistic specimens in Malaysia, we therefore consider, contrary to Betrem (1928), that Triscolia vespillo should be treated as a junior synonym of azurea, not alecto. The two specimens mentioned by Betrem (1928) more plausibly refer to melanistic individuals of R. azurea. The status of Scolia rubiginosa Fabricius, 1793 has changed considerably over time and remains uncertain today. Dalla-Torre (1897) first linked this taxon with some doubt to Sphex azurea Christ, 1791, then later actually considered it to be a subspecies of Scolia (Triscolia) azurea (Micha 1927; Betrem 1927 b). The type specimen of S. rubiginosa is a male that cannot now be found (Guiglia & Betrem 1958; Bradley & Betrem 1964). Consequently, the drawing by Coquebert (1801) was designated by Bradley & Betrem (1964) as the lectotype. Fabricius (1793) was very vague as to the origin of the type specimen: “ in India Orientali ” referred at that time more or less to South and Southeast Asia (from India to Indonesia). Based on their interpretation of Fabricius’ description, Micha (1927) and Betrem (1928, 1941) applied it mainly to specimens from continental Asia. Guiglia & Betrem (1958) later synonymized this name with the nominal subspecies on the basis of a reinterpretation of Fabricius’ description concerning the coloration of the pilosity fringe on the T 3 (a criterion used to distinguish male subspecies according to Betrem (1928 )). They thus erected a new subspecies, christiana Guiglia & Betrem, 1958, for specimens formerly known as S. rubiginosa (mainly from continental Asia). Taylor & Barthélémy (2021) rightly expressed doubts about the interpretation of Fabricius’ description of S. rubiginosa by the various authors, especially as the precise type locality of this specimen is unknown. They declined to comment on the subspecies present in Hong Kong, pending clarification of the status of R. azurea subspecies. In fact, the pilosity coloration criteria proposed by Betrem (1928) to determine male subspecies of R. azurea are not reliable, as pilosity coloration is variable, particularly in males within the same population. Furthermore, as the type specimen of S. rubiginosa has disappeared and the type locality is not known with certainty, interpretation on the basis of a drawing is also prohibited. S colia rubiginosa Fabricius, 1793, syn. nov. is therefore retained here as a synonym of R. azurea.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFD0FFF463E40990FD01D0CB.taxon	description	(Figs 69 – 71)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFD0FFF463E40990FD01D0CB.taxon	description	(synonymised by Lepeletier 1825: 523). Scolia emaculata Cyrillo, 1787: 2 (synonymised by Costa 1858: 8). Scolia flavicornis Lepeletier, 1825: 393 (synonymised in Micha 1927: 135). Scolia (Scolia) bimaculata: Guérin-Méneville 1830: 247. Scolia bidens: Lepeletier 1845: 523; Lucas 1849: 278; Saussure 1855: 36; Smith 1855: 111; Costa 1858: 7; Palma 1869: 34; Saussure 1890: 188; Bartlett 1912: 338. Scolia (Triscolia) bidens: Saussure & Sichel 1864: 52; Kirchner 1867: 212; Saunders 1901: 535; Gaulle 1908: 125; Vogrin 1915: 39 - 40; Berland 1925: 296 – 298; Betrem 1927 b: 292; Guiglia 1928: 426, 435 – 436; Dusmet 1930: 20 – 21; Betrem 1933: 261; Nadig & Nadig 1935: 4; Guiglia 1940: 277; Guiglia 1944: 147; Giner Mari 1945: 127; Guiglia 1951: 286; Steinberg 1962: 119; Mingo & Compte 1963: 76. Scolia (Scolia, Triscolia) bidens: Dalla-Torre 1897: 149. Triscolia bidens: Micha 1927: 134; Guiglia & Capra 1937: 82. Triscolia bidens bidens: Micha 1927: 134 – 136, 148, 150. Scolia (Triscolia) bidens var. rufohirta Dusmet, 1930: 22; Guiglia 1951: 287; Mingo & Compte 1963: 76. Syn. nov. Megascolia (Regiscolia) bidens: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 444; Bradley & Betrem 1964: 10; Nagy 1967: 222; Hamon et al. 1995: 18; Osten 1999 a: 424; Osten 2000: 546, 551, 557; Osten 2002: 345, 349; Osten 2005 b: 28; Demetriou et al. 2021: 20. Megascolia bidens: Nagy 1967: 222; Pagliano 1987: 163; Diniz 1991: 31; Hamon et al. 1995: 32; Castro 2011: 387; Baldock 2014: 343, 399; Samin & Baðrýaçýk 2012: 391; Samin et al. 2014: 716; Dvořák & Boščík 2017: 380; Baldock et al. 2020: 16; Turrisi et al. 2020: 722; Al-Azab 2020: 147. Regiscolia bidens: Argaman 1996: 188.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFD0FFF463E40990FD01D0CB.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Morocco. Marrakech-Safi region. 1 ♀, Idni, 17. V. 1994 (J. F. Vayssières leg.) [CJBC]. Ouarzazate region. 1 ♀, Aït-Ben-Haddou, 24. V. 2007 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Khémisset province. 5 ♀, Oulmès, 21. V. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region. 1 ♀, El Arba, Route de Mrirt, 22. V. 2014 (J. F. Vayssières leg.) [CFC]. Ifrane region. 1 ♂, Ben Smim, VI. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Ifrane, 10. VI. 2016 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Khénifra province. 1 ♂, Aguelmous, 18. V. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Tinghir region. 1 ♂, Kelaat Mgouna, 15. V. 2018 (G. L. Agnoli leg.) [CJBC]. Tiznit region. 1 ♀, Tafraout, 24. IV. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Spain. Seville province. 2 ♀ 3 ♂, Seville, 17. VII. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Alicante province. 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Alicante, 10. VI. 2024 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Tunisia. Nabeul governorate. 1 ♀, Cap Bon, VII. 1956 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Tunis governorate. 2 ♂, El Marsa, 07. III. 1957 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Gabès governorate. 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Gabès, 21. V. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Kasserine governorate. 1 ♀ 4 ♂, Sbeïtla, 18. IV. 2014 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFD0FFF463E40990FD01D0CB.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia bidens (Linnaeus, 1767), comb. nov. differs from R. alecto (Smith, 1858), comb. nov., R. azurea (Christ, 1791), comb. nov., R. capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov. and R. fulvifrons (Saussure, 1855), comb. nov. in females by having the apical part of scutum with a dense and uninterrupted band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum short, approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 with sparse punctures similar to those of the median part. In contrast, in Regiscolia azurea, R. capitata and R. fulvifrons, the apical part of scutum has sparser punctures medially or is impunctate, thus not forming a continuous band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum is distinctly longer than the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 has finer and denser punctures forming a band, the median part being sparsely and coarsely punctate. In males, R. bidens differs by having the area around and between the posterior ocelli with very dense, tight, fine, and agglomerated punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum nearly equal to that of the metanotum. In contrast, in R. azurea, R. alecto and R. fulvifrons, the area around and between the posterior ocelli has sparser and coarser punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum is significantly greater than that of the metanotum. In both sexes, the wings of R. bidens are bicolored, yellowish in the cells and dark elsewhere. Whereas in Regiscolia azurea, Regiscolia alecto, R. capitata, Regiscolia fulvifrons and R. splendida, they are entirely dark. R. bidens is easily distinguished from R. capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov. in both sexes by having the head with coarse and dense punctures; and the mesosoma entirely melanistic (sometimes scutellum orangish in female). In contrast, in R. capitata, the head is almost entirely impunctate with finer and sparser punctures; and the scutellum, metanotum, dorso-median area of propodeum are marked with yellow.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFD0FFF463E40990FD01D0CB.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 69). Length 23 – 26 mm. Head (Figs 69 B, C). Mandibles long and slender. Median mandibular tooth small and prominent, sometimes blunt. Anterior margin of clypeus rounded, without prominent lateral lobes; disk of clypeus not-domed and reticulated apically; impunctate medially. Fissura frontalis weak, barely visible after the frontal spatium. Frons with dense punctures on the sides of the anterior ocellus, mostly impunctate in front of the anterior ocellus and near the eye notch. Vertex with dense punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 69 D). Pronotum fine and dense punctures, more space and coarse punctures close to the excavation of pronotum. Tegula with coarse punctures at base and along scutum. Scutum with fine, tight and dense punctures basally; with sparse and coarse punctures laterally, except for antero-lateral corners with dense and fine punctures; largely impunctate medially; with a fine, dense, and continuous band of punctures apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally; distinctly sparser and coarser medially. Metanotum with fine, tight and dense punctures, with a thin impunctate central band. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with very dense, tight and fine punctures, without an impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly. Dorso-median area of propodeum with two protruding projections prolonged towards the rear; approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; with very fine, tight dense punctures. Upper plate of metapleuron with dense punctures on its upper third. Anterior margin of marginal cell shorter than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Hind tibiae spurs of similar length. Metasoma (Fig. 69 E). T 1 with a tubercle not depressed in the middle; with dense and fine punctures, more sparser basally. T 2 with scattered and coarse punctures basally; with coarse and very sparse punctures medially; with very fine, tight and dense punctures apically. T 3 almost entirely impunctate basally and medially; with dense, tight and fine punctures apically. T 4 to T 5 with similar punctation, but the central impunctate area gradually reduced. S 1 with dense and fine punctures on sides, mostly impunctate on the rest. S 2 without distinct tubercle; with fine and dense punctures basally; with sparse and coarse punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures apically, except in the middle apically with sparse punctures. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Fig. 69). Integument predominantly black. Head marked with orange-red on frons and vertex; ocellar region yellow-orange. Antennae orange-red, except black scape and pedicel. Mesosoma black, scutellum often marked with orange-red and sometimes pronotum laterally close to the excavation of pronotum. Metasoma black, T 2 and T 3 marked with two yellow spots that never fuse. Legs black. Wings bicolored, yellowish in the cells, dark on the rest. Pilosity black, except in the colored areas. Male (Fig. 70). Length 21 – 26 mm. Head (Figs 70 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with sparse punctures apically, dense punctures basally and laterally. Fissura frontalis visible reaching anterior ocelli. Frontal cross-furrow visible, its extension reaching the upper part of the ocular sinus. Frontal spatium with dense, tight and fine punctures. Anterior ocelli depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with dense, fine and tight punctures, impunctate in front of the anterior ocellus. Vertex with fine, tight and dense punctures, particularly around the posterior ocelli. Mesosoma (Fig. 70 D). Pronotum with dense, tight and fine punctures over its entire surface, inter-points spaces almost coalescent. Tegula with dense and coarse punctures anteriorly and along the scutum, largely impunctate near the wing. Scutum with very fine, coalescent and dense punctures in its anterior third; with dense and fine punctures on the rest. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, sparser medially and mostly impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine and dense punctures laterally, impunctate line in the middle. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum without impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly; with fine, dense and tight punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum with two protruding projections prolonged towards the rear; with very fine, tight dense punctures. Anterior margin of marginal cell shorter than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Metasoma (Fig. 70 E). T 1 with a strong tubercle; with dense, fine and tight punctures over its entire surface. T 2 with fine, tight and dense punctures, slightly sparse medially. T 3 - T 6 similarly punctate. S 1 raised in the middle, with dense punctures medially. S 2 without distinct tubercle; with dense, tight and fine punctures basally and laterally, sparser medially and apically. S 3 with sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S 4 - S 6 similarly punctate. Coloration (Fig. 70). Head black, ocular sinus often orange reddish, yellow antennae except for the scape and pedicel. Mesosoma black. Metasoma black, T 3 marked with two yellow spots never fused. Wings bicolored, yellowish in the cells, dark on the rest. Pilosity black, except in the colored areas, exceptionally with entire redbrownish pilosity. Genitalia. See Fig. 31 D.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFD0FFF463E40990FD01D0CB.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Algeria, Egypt, Greece (continental and Dodecanese Islands), Israel, Italy (including Sicily), Libya, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Spain (including the Balearic Islands), Tunisia (Dusmet 1930; Betrem 1933; Guiglia 1940; Mingo & Compte 1963; Nagy 1967; Valetta 1979; Pagliano 1987; Osten 2000; Osten 2002; Baldock 2014; Samin et al. 2014; Turrisi et al. 2020; Al-Azab 2020; Demetriou et al. 2021) (Fig. 71). Samin et al. (2014) mentioned the presence of R. bidens from regions such as Arabian Peninsula, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Russia, Syria, and Turkey; but these records are doubtful and considered to be erroneous (Demetriou et al. 2021). Similarly, two French observations of the species in the Hérault department in France have been reported in the past (Hamon et al. 1995). As these data are old and doubtful, they are not considered here.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFD0FFF463E40990FD01D0CB.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Saussure (1890) reported Scolia bidens [= Regiscolia bidens (Linnaeus, 1767)] entering garden compost in search of Phyllognathus silenus [= Phyllognathus excavatus (Forster, 1771)] larvae. Other hosts have also been cited: Oryctes nasicornis laevigatus (Heer, 1841), Polyphylla fullo (Linnaeus, 1758) and Lucanus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Vereecken & Carrière 2003).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFD0FFF463E40990FD01D0CB.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Regiscolia bidens has no known subspecies. Nevertheless, Dusmet (1930) described the variation rufohirta Dusmet, 1930 from two females from Spain (Sierra de Guadarrama and Cadiz). This taxon differs from the typical form mainly in its ferruginous red pilosity on the mesosoma, T 1 and ventral part of the metasoma, while the legs are partially reddish. Guiglia (1951) also reports a female from Morocco (Midelt). We can also report two males from Tunisia (Marsa) showing the same variations. The same kind of pilosity and cuticle erythrism is observed in other Scoliidae species (notably within the genus Scolia, e. g. S. erythrocephala, S. flaviceps), the degree of erythrism increases as one approaches hot desert regions. Scolia (Triscolia) bidens var. rufohirta, syn. nov. is therefore synonymized with R. bidens.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFCDFFFF63E409A1FF68D73C.taxon	description	(Figs 72 – 74)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFCDFFFF63E409A1FF68D73C.taxon	description	Scolia (Scolia, Triscolia) patricialis var. plebeja: Dalla-torre 1897: 173.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFCDFFFF63E409A1FF68D73C.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Indonesia. North Kalimantan province. 2 ♂, Kalambuku, 12. V. 2011 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. West Sumatra province. 2 ♀, Payakumbuh, 24. VII. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Payakumbuh, 13. III. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. West Kalimantan province. 3 ♂, Lumar, 28. V. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 4 ♀, same place, 21. IV. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Mount Bawang, 21. IV. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀ 3 ♂, same place, VII. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Malaysia. Sarawak province. 2 ♀ 3 ♂, Long Lama, 12. VI. 2012 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFCDFFFF63E409A1FF68D73C.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov. is easily distinguished from R. alecto (Smith, 1858), comb. nov., R. almoraensis (Gupta & Jonathan, 2003), comb. nov., R. azurea (Christ, 1791), comb. nov., R. bidens (Linnaeus, 1767), comb. nov., R. fulvifrons (Saussure, 1855), comb. nov., R. maculata (Drury, 1773), comb. nov., R. rubida (Gribodo, 1893), comb. nov. and R. splendida (Saussure, 1858), comb. nov. in both sexes by having the head almost entirely impunctate with very fine and sparse punctures; and the scutum, metanotum, dorso-median area of propodeum and T 1 generally marked with yellow. In contrast, in other Regiscolia species, the head has coarser and denser punctures; the mesosoma is entirely melanistic (except in R. splendida splendida, where the pronotum and scutum are orange; and in R. maculata, R. bidens and R. rubida, where the scutellum is sometimes marked with yellow or orange); and the metasoma is never marked with yellow on the T 1.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFCDFFFF63E409A1FF68D73C.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 72). Length 39 – 46 mm. Head (Figs 72 B, C). Mandibles short and thickened at the apex. Median mandibular tooth small and prominent, sometimes blunt. Anterior margin of clypeus straight, with lateral lobes weakly indicated; disk of clypeus slightly domed and reticulated; impunctate in the middle. Fissura frontalis distinct, ending in the frontal pit. Frons with sparse and shallow punctures. Vertex almost impunctate. Mesosoma (Fig. 72 D). Pronotum with very fine, tight and dense punctures. Pronotum finely and densely punctate basally, more coarsely and sparsely punctate on the rest. Tegula almost impunctate. Scutum with fine, tight and dense punctures basally, at the level of the notauli, with a small surface featuring very fine, coalescent, and dense punctures; laterally with sparse punctures, except for antero-lateral corners with very dense, coalescent and fine punctures; impunctate medially and apically. Scutellum almost impunctate, with fine and sparse punctures medially. Metanotum with fine, tight and dense punctures, with an impunctate central band. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with very dense, tight and fine punctures, with a small impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly. Dorso-median area of propodeum without protruding projections; clearly longer than the length of the metanotum; with fine, tight dense punctures, with more sparse punctures medially. Upper plate of metapleuron impunctate on its lower quarter, densely punctate on the rest. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than or equal to posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Hind tibiae spurs unequal in length. Metasoma (Fig. 72 E). T 1 with a tubercle not depressed in the middle; coarsely and sparsely punctate basally; with very dense, tight and fine punctures laterally and apically. T 2 with dense, tight and fine punctures basally and apically; with scattered and coarse punctures medially. T 3 almost entirely impunctate basally and medially; with dense, tight and fine punctures apically. T 4 to T 5 with similar punctation, but the central impunctate area gradually reduced. S 1 with dense and fine punctures laterally, mostly impunctate on the rest. S 2 with blunt transversal tubercle; with fine, tight and dense punctures basally; with sparse and coarse punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures apically, with sparse punctures in the middle apically. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Fig. 72). Head marked with yellow on frons, vertex and tempora; ocellar region black. Antennae black. Mesosoma black, scutellum, metanotum and propodeum most often marked with yellow. Metasoma black, T 1 basally and T 3 generally marked with yellow. Legs black. Wings entirely dark. Pilosity of pronotum, metanotum, propodeum and metasoma forming tufts of very dense, tight long setae; black, except in the colored areas. Male (Fig. 73). Length 23 – 37 mm. Head (Figs 73 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with coarse and dense but sparse punctures medially, denser and finer punctures basally and laterally. Fissura frontalis not visible. Frontal cross-furrow visible, its extension reaching the lower part of the ocular sinus. Frontal spatium with dense, tight and fine punctures. Anterior ocelli depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons almost impunctate, with sparse, fine and shallow punctures. Vertex almost impunctate, with very scattered, fine and shallow punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 73 D). Pronotum with dense, tight and fine punctures over its entire surface, inter-points spaces almost coalescent. Tegula with dense and coarse punctures in its anterior half, with shallow and dense micropunctures on the rest. Scutum with fine and dense punctures in its anterior third; more sparser and coarser laterally; largely impunctate medially and apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, sparser medially and mostly impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine and dense punctures laterally, impunctate line in the middle. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with a small impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly; with fine, dense and tight punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum without protruding projections; with fine and dense punctures, sparser punctures medially. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Metasoma (Fig. 73 E). T 1 with a large but blunt tubercle; very dense and fine punctures laterally and apically; largely impunctate basally at the level of tubercle. T 2 with fine, tight and dense punctures over its entire surface. T 3 with fine, tight and dense punctures, with a small area with sparse punctures in the middle basally. T 4 - T 6 similarly punctate. S 1 raised in the middle, with dense punctures medially. S 2 with blunt transverse tubercle; with dense tigh and fine punctures basally and laterally, sparser medially and apically. S 3 with very sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S 4 - S 6 similarly punctate. Coloration (Fig. 73). Clypeus, frontal area, frons, vertex and tempora yellow, black on the rest. Mesosoma black, generally scutellum, metanotum and dorso-median area of the propodeum marked with yellow. Metasoma black, T 1 (often) and T 3 marked with yellow. Pilosity black, except in the colored areas. Genitalia. See Fig. 31 E.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFCDFFFF63E409A1FF68D73C.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Indonesia (Bengkulu, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, North Sumatra, West Kalimantan, West Sumatra), Malaysia (Pahang, Penang, Perak, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor) (Micha 1927; Betrem 1928; Betrem & Bradley 1964) (Fig. 74).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFCDFFFF63E409A1FF68D73C.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFCDFFFF63E409A1FF68D73C.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Two subspecies are currently considered (Betrem & Bradley 1964; Osten 2005 b): ssp. capitata (Fabricius, 1804) from East Malaysia and Indonesia and ssp. pendleburyi Betrem, 1964 from Peninsular Malaysia. The ssp. pendleburyi Betrem, 1964 is distinguished from the nominate subspecies by having the mesosoma and T 1 entirely black, whereas the mesosoma is marked with yellow on the scutellum, metanotum and dorso-median area of the propodeum and T 1 in the nominate subspecies (Betrem & Bradley 1964). Numerous variations exist for the nominal subspecies: var. patricialis Burmeister, 1854. var. plebeja Gribodo, 1893, var. leefmansi Betrem, 1928 and var. brunneipennis Micha, 1927 (Betrem & Bradley 1964). Fabricius (1804) described Scolia capitata Fabricius, 1804 on the basis of a male from Sumatra (Betrem & Bradley 1964). Nevertheless, this species has long been known as Scolia patricialis Burmeister, 1854 (Gribodo 1893; Cameron 1905; Micha 1927; Betrem 1928). Micha (1927) recognized four subspecies of S. patricialis (ssp. patricialis Burmeister, 1854, ssp. kuntzeni Micha, 1927, ssp. plebeja Gribodo, 1893, and ssp. brunneipennis Micha, 1927) and Betrem (1928) only two (ssp. patricialis Burmeister, 1854, and ssp. plebeja Gribodo, 1893). Betrem (1928) further subdivided the subspecies plebeja into three varieties: “ A ”, “ B ” and leefmansi Betrem, 1928. Later, Bradley & Betrem (1964) synonymized patricialis with capitata, thus considering two subspecies: ssp. capitata and ssp. pendleburyi. They proposed patricialis, plebeja, brunneipennis and leefmansi as variations of the nominal subspecies, and kuntzeni Micha, 1927 was synonymized with the nominal subspecies. Later, Osten (2005 b) recognized the same subspecies, with Scolia patricialis Burmeister 1854 synonymized with the nominal subspecies; brunneipennis Micha, 1927 and kuntzeni Micha, 1927 as probable variations of the nominal subspecies; and plebeja Gribodo, 1893 and leefmansi Betrem, 1928 as synonyms of ssp. pendleburyi. Gribodo (1893) described Triscolia patricialis var. plebeja based on a female from Borneo and a male from Malacca, which differ from the original form by having the mesosoma and T 1 entirely black (the scutellum is faintly marked with yellow). According to Betrem & Bradley (1964), the male and female types of plebeja Gribodo, 1893 represent two different geographical subspecies. The female corresponds to the ssp. capitata (Borneo-Sumatra), while the male represents the subspecies pendleburyi Betrem, 1964 (Peninsular Malaysia). However, according to Betrem & Bradley (1964), Bradley had studied in 1928 the material held at the Genoa Museum and did not find the male specimen, which had been previously examined by Betrem (1928). Still according to them, based on this selection, T. patricialis plebeja Gribodo, 1893 was assigned to the Borneo-Sumatra subspecies and not to that of Peninsular Malaysia. However, the valid subspecies for Borneo-Sumatra was capitata Fabricius, 1804. Thus, the female designated by Betrem & Bradley (1964) as the lectotype of T. patricialis plebeja Gribodo, 1893 was placed in synonymy with the nominal subspecies capitata. The missing male from Peninsular Malaysia of T. patricialis plebeja Gribodo, 1893 was placed in synonymy with the new ssp. pendleburyi Betrem, 1964, in order to avoid secondary homonymy, as the name plebeja was already occupied by Scolia plebeja Klug, 1810 (Betrem & Bradley 1964; Bradley 1973 a). However, Scolia plebeja Klug, 1810 had already been proposed as a synonym of Scolia villosa Fabricius, 1793 (= Colpa quinquecincta (Fabricius, 1793 )) as early as 1928 (Betrem 1928), and officially synonymized starting in 1968 (Bradley & Betrem 1968; Betrem & Bradley 1972). We have not examined any material from Peninsular Malaysia, but the specimens we have examined from Borneo and Sumatra show great variation in coloration on the mesosoma and metasoma, with the yellow spots sometimes very small or even absent. In addition, the female type of Triscolia patricialis var. plebeja (Borneo) shows the same variation as the ssp. pendlebury Betrem, 1964 (Peninsular Malaysia). Neither Betrem nor Bradley have explained this resemblance (Betrem & Bradley 1964). Scolia (Triscolia sectio Megascolia) patricialis var. leefmansi Betrem, 1928, and Triscolia patricialis brunneipennis Micha, 1927, are distinguished by subtle differences in body or wing coloration. Pending the study of specimens from Peninsular Malaysia, Scolia (Triscolia sectio Megascolia) patricialis var. leefmansi Betrem, 1928, syn. nov., Triscolia patricialis brunneipennis Micha, 1927, syn. nov., and Megascolia (Regiscolia) capitata pendleburyi Betrem, 1964, syn. nov. are placed as synonyms of Regiscolia capitata, the variations in coloration having more to do with intraspecific variability than with real taxonomic entities.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC6FFF963E40EF4FDE2D0AF.taxon	description	(Figs 75 – 78)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC6FFF963E40EF4FDE2D0AF.taxon	description	1978: 4; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 140; Osten 2005 b: 33; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017: 5. Elpaholta fulvifrons: Argaman 1996: 194.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC6FFF963E40EF4FDE2D0AF.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Thailand. Rayong province. 1 ♂, Koh Samet, 24. X. 2014 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Vietnam. Hòa Bình province. 1 ♂, Hòa Bình, 15. V. 1997 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Lâm Đ ồng province. 3 ♀, B ảo L ộc, 12. IV. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀, same place, 18. IV. 2020 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 3 ♀, same place, 23. IV. 22 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 12. IV. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Ngh ệ An province. 1 ♀, Ngh ệ An, VI. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀ 1 ♂, Vinh, 9. VI. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, same place, 27. IX. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 5 ♂, same place, 12. VI. 2023 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Kon Tum province. 1 ♂, Kon Tum, 7. VI. 2022 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC6FFF963E40EF4FDE2D0AF.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia fulvifrons (Saussure, 1855), comb. nov. differs from R. almoraensis (Gupta & Jonathan, 2003), comb. nov., R. bidens (Linnaeus, 1767), comb. nov., R. maculata (Drury, 1773), comb. nov., and R. rubida (Gribodo, 1893), comb. nov. in females by having the apical part of scutum with sparse punctures medially or without punctures, thus not forming a continuous band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum distinctly longer than the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 has finer and denser punctures forming a band, the median part being sparsely and coarsely punctate. In contrast, in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, the apical part of scutum has a denser and uninterrupted band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum is shorter, approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 has sparser punctures similar to those of the median part. In males, R. fulvifrons differs by having the area around and between the posterior ocelli with sparse and coarse punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum significantly greater than that of the metanotum. In contrast, in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, the area around and between the posterior ocelli has denser, tighter, finer, and agglomerated punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum is nearly equal to that of the metanotum. In both sexes, the wings of R. fulvifrons are entirely dark. Whereas in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, they are bicolored, yellowish in the cells and dark elsewhere (in R. almoraensis the wings are almost entirely black). R. fulvifrons is easily distinguished from R. capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov. in both sexes, by having the head with coarse and dense punctures; and the mesosoma entirely melanistic. In contrast, in R. capitata the head is almost entirely impunctate with finer and sparser punctures; and the scutellum, metanotum, dorso-median area of propodeum are marked with yellow.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC6FFF963E40EF4FDE2D0AF.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 75). Length 32 – 41 mm. Head (Figs 75 B, C). Mandibles short and thickened at the apex. Median mandibular tooth small and prominent, sometimes blunt. Anterior margin of clypeus straight with two prominent lateral lobes; disk of clypeus domed and fully reticulated. Fissura frontalis distinct, ending in the frontal pit, weakly visible up to the anterior ocellus. Frons with dense but spaced punctures, mostly impunctate in front of the anterior ocellus. Vertex with dense but spaced punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 75 D). Pronotum with very fine, tight and dense punctures. Tegula with coarse punctures mixed with micropunctures at base and along scutum. Scutum almost impunctate; with more or less fine, and dense punctures basally along the pronotum; with sparse and coarse punctures laterally; impunctate, sometimes with a few sparse punctures apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally and medially; with sparse punctures laterally; impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine, tight and dense punctures, with a large impunctate central band. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with very dense, tight and fine punctures, with a small impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly. Dorso-median area of propodeum without protruding projections; clearly longer than the length of the metanotum; with fine, tight and dense punctures. Upper plate of metapleuron impunctate on its lower half, densely and finely punctate on the rest. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than or equal to posterior margin. Forewing generally with two submarginal cells, sometimes three on one or both wings. Hind tibiae spurs of similar length. Metasoma (Fig. 75 E). T 1 with a tubercle not depressed in the middle; with very sparse and coarse punctures basally; with very dense, tight and fine punctures laterally and apically. T 2 with dense, tight and fine punctures basally and apically; with scattered and coarse punctures medially. T 3 almost entirely impunctate basally and medially; with dense, tight and fine punctures apically. T 4 to T 5 with similar punctation, but the central impunctate area gradually reduced. S 1 with dense and fine punctures laterally, mostly impunctate on the rest. S 2 with blunt transversal tubercle; with fine, tight and dense punctures basally; with sparse and coarse punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures apically, with sparse punctures in the middle apically. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Fig. 75). Head marked with yellowish-orange on frons, vertex and tempora; ocellar region generally black. Antennae black. Mesosoma black. Metasoma black, T 3 marked with two yellowish-orange spots, often fused in a band; T 4 sometimes and more rarely T 5 (exceptionally with two small yellowish spots on T 2). Legs black. Wings entirely dark. Pilosity black, except in the colored areas. Male (Fig. 76). Length 26 – 35 mm. Head (Figs 76 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with coarse punctures medially, denser and finer punctures on sides. Fissura frontalis visible reaching median ocelli. Frontal cross-furrow poorly defined. Frontal spatium with dense and fine punctures over its entire surface. Anterior ocelli shallowly depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with dense and coarse punctures, except around anterior ocellus impunctate. Vertex with dense and coarse punctures. Mesosoma (Fig. 76 D). Pronotum with dense and fine punctures over its entire surface, inter-points spaces almost coalescent; with an oblique groove at the boundary between dorsal and lateral surfaces; in lateral view, pronotum forming a ridge. Tegulae with dense and coarse punctures, finer posteriorly. Scutum with very dense and fine punctures over its entire surface, coarser laterally; inter-points spaces about equal to the diameter of a puncture, without impunctate area. Scutellum with dense and coarse punctures over its entire surface. Metanotum with dense punctures over its entire surface, punctures less coarser than on scutellum. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum without an impunctate area (mirror), with dense and coarse punctures over its entire surface. Dorso-median area of propodeum without protruding projections; with coarse and dense punctures over its entire surface. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Anterior wings with two submarginal cells, sometimes three on one or both wings. Metasoma (Fig. 76 E). T 1 with a strong tubercle; with fine and dense punctures laterally and apically, with coarser punctures medially, except for a small area above the tubercle which is impunctate. T 2 with fine and dense punctures over its entire surface. T 3 similarly punctate, except for a small area in the center which is impunctate. T 4 with a small triangular area impunctate basally, with coarse and dense punctures on the rest. T 4 - T 5 with coarse and dense punctures over their entire surface. S 1 raised in the center, with dense and fine punctures laterally, impunctacte medially. S 2 with blunt transverse tubercle; with dense, tigh and fine punctures basally and laterally, sparser medially and apically. S 3 with very sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S 4 - S 6 similarly punctate. Coloration (Figs 76, 77). Head black, generally with orange-reddish spot on ocular sinus and behind eyes. Mesosoma black. Metasoma black, T 3 marked with two yellowish-orange spots, often fused in a band (Fig. 76); sometimes also present on T 4, T 5 and T 6 (Fig. 77). Wings entirely dark. Pilosity black, except in the colored areas. Genitalia. See Fig. 31 F.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC6FFF963E40EF4FDE2D0AF.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Bangladesh, India (Assam, Sikkim, West Bengal), Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam (Hòa Bình, Lâm Đ ồng, Ngh ệ An, Kon Tum; new record) (Bingham 1897; Betrem 1928; Bradley & Betrem 1967; Gupta & Jonathan 2003; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017) (Fig. 78). Gupta & Jonathan (2003) cite the species in Singapore, but this data appears to be erroneous and is not considered valid here.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC6FFF963E40EF4FDE2D0AF.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC6FFF963E40EF4FDE2D0AF.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Regiscolia fulvifrons is highly variable in coloration. In typical males (Fig. 76), only the T 3 is widely marked with a broad yellowish-orange band. Sometimes the yellowish-orange band on the T 3 is divided into two lateral spots. The T 4 can also be similarly marked, as can T 5 and T 6 (Fig. 77). More rarely, the T 2 has two very small lateral spots. In females, the common form has a broad yellowish-orange bands on T 3 and T 4. These bands may be more or less divided, or absent on T 4. More exceptionally, the T 5 can also be yellowish-orange. R. fulvifrons has no known subspecies.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC0FFCD63E40845FA05D065.taxon	description	(Figs 79 – 85)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC0FFCD63E40845FA05D065.taxon	description	Saussure & Sichel 1864: 50). Sphex radula Sulzer, 1776: 192, tab. XXVII, fig. 4 (synonymised by Saussure & Sichel 1864: 50). Scolia flavifrons Fabricius, 1775: 355; Fabricius 1781: 452; Fabricius 1787: 280; Cyrillo 1787: 2; Gmelin 1790: 2736; Rossi 1790: 69; Rossi 1792: 129; Fabricius 1793: 229; Fabricius 1804: 240; Klug 1805: 22; Lepeletier 1825: 393; Spinola 1839: 334; Passerini 1840: 6, 9, 12; Passerini 1841: 6, 7; Palma 1869: 34; Costa 1887: 96; Ashmead 1903: 7; Cros 1929: 242; Bajari 1953: 124; Erlandsson 1974: 24; Vuts et al. 2012: 351 – 359. Scolia haemorrhoidalis Fabricius, 1787: 280; Gmelin 1790: 2736; Fabricius 1793: 230; Fabricius 1804: 240; Klug 1805: 24; Germar 1817: 262; Vander Linden 1827: 288; Lepeletier 1845: 522; Eversmann 1849: 430; Burmeister 1854: 18; Mocsary 1881: 54; Costa 1887: 97; Iuga 1953: 259 (synonymised by Micha 1927: 125, and later Hamon & Osten 1994: 15). Sphex interrupta Scopoli, 1786: 60 (synonymised by Saussure & Sichel 1864: 50). Scolia hortorum Fabricius, 1787; Cyrillo 1787: 2; Gmelin 1790: 2736; Rossi 1790: 70; Rossi 1792: 129; Fabricius 1793: 232; Fabricius 1804: 243; Klug 1805: 22; Vander Linden 1827: 286; Lepeletier 1845: 520; Lucas 1849: 278; Burmeister 1854: 18; Costa 1858: 6; Costa 1874: 575 (misidentification). Sphex flavifrons: Villers 1789: 239; Christ 1791: 267. Sphex hortorum: Villers 1789: 240. Vespa tricuspidata Villers, 1789: 280 (synonymised by Saussure & Sichel 1864: 50). Sphex goliath Christ, 1791: 253 (synonymised by Saussure & Sichel 1864: 51). Sphex versicolor Christ, 1791: 254 (synonymised by Saussure & Sichel 1864: 51). Sphex radula siberica Christ, 1791: 258 (synonymised by Saussure & Sichel 1864: 51). Sphex radula hungarica Christ, 1791: 258 (synonymised by Saussure & Sichel 1864: 51). Scolia quadrimaculata Fabricius, 1793: 229; Fabricius 1804: 240 (synonymised by Betrem & Bradley 1964: 20 – 21). Scolia (Scolia) flavifrons: Guérin-Méneville 1830: 247. Scolia (Scolia) insignis Saussure, 1858: 197 (synonymised by Bingham 1897: 77, later by Osten 2005 b: 37). Scolia (Triscolia) insignis: Saussure & Sichel 1864: 47; Cameron 1892: 101. Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons: Saussure & Sichel 1864: 49; Vogrin 1915: 37 – 38, 40; Berland 1925: 297; Betrem 1927 a: xcvii; Dusmet 1930: 16 – 19; Schmiedeknecht 1930: 511; Betrem 1933: 260; Betrem 1947: 414; Mingo & Compte 1963: 75. Scolia (Triscolia) haemorrhoidalis: Saussure & Sichel 1864: 50; Cameron 1892: 102; Bingham 1897: 71 – 72, 77; Vogrin 1915: 36, 38, 41. Triscolia haemorrhoidalis: Gribodo 1893: 150. Scolia (Scolia, Triscolia) flavifrons: Dalla-Torre 1897: 158 – 160. Scolia (Scolia, Triscolia) flavifrons var. haemorrhoidalis: Dalla-Torre 1897: 160. Triscolia flavifrons: Bartlett 1912: 296. Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons var. haemorrhoidalis: Berland 1925: 297; Maidl 1922: 41; Dusmet 1930: 19; Schmiedeknecht 1930: 511. Scolia (Ascoli) haemorrhoidalis: Betrem 1926: xiii. Triscolia maculata: Micha 1927: 125. Triscolia maculata maculata: Micha 1927: 126 – 131. Triscolia maculata bischoffi Micha, 1927: 131. Triscolia maculata albifrons: Micha 1927: 131 – 132 (lapsus calami for flavifrons in Bradley 1972: 4). Triscolia maculata barbara Micha, 1927: 132. Syn. nov. Triscolia maculata form verticalis Micha, 1927: 132. Syn. nov. Triscolia maculata sicula Micha, 1927: 133. Syn. nov. Triscolia maculata form excepta Micha, 1927: 133 (synonymised by Bradley 1972: 9). Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons haemorrhoidalis: Betrem 1927 b: 291; Betrem 1933: 261; Betrem 1941: 118; Betrem 1947: 414; Bradley 1956: 579. Scolia flavifrons haemorrhoidalis: Bradley 1928: 93. Scolia (Triscolia) maculata: Guiglia 1928: 428; Steinberg 1962: 116 – 118; Friese & Muche 1967: 514. Scolia (Triscolia) maculata flavifrons: Guiglia 1928: 429; Nadig & Nadig 1934: 36; Nadig & Nadig 1935: 4; Guiglia 1944: 146 – 147; Steinberg 1962: 118; Carrière 1985: 20. Scolia (Triscolia) maculata flavifrons var. funerea Guiglia, 1928: 434. Syn. nov. Scolia (Triscolia) maculata flavifrons var. sicula: Guiglia 1928: 435. Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons var. nigra Dusmet, 1930: 19 – 20. Syn. nov. Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons flavifrons: Betrem 1933: 260; Betrem 1941: 117; Betrem 1947: 414; Bradley 1956: 579. Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons flavifrons var. flavifrons: Betrem 1933: 261. Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons flavifrons var. verticalis: Betrem 1933: 261. Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons flavifrons var. sicula: Betrem 1933: 261. Triscolia maculata: Guiglia 1942: 50. Triscolia maculata flavifrons: Guiglia 1938: 5; Guiglia 1949: 32. Scolia (Triscolia) maculata flavifrons forme barbara: Guiglia 1951: 286. Scolia (Triscolia) maculata bischoffi: Hammer 1951: 7. Scolia flavifrons haemorrhoidalis: Atanassov 1951: 287; Erlandsson 1974: 24. Scolia flavifrons var. haemorrhoidalis: Bajari 1953: 124; Vuts et al. 2012: 352. Scolia flavifrons haemorrhoidalis: Guiglia & Bradley 1958: 93 – 95, 97. Scolia (Triscolia) maculata maculata: Steinberg 1962: 118. Scolia (Triscolia) maculata barbara: Steinberg 1962: 118. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons flavifrons: Betrem & Bradley 1964 a: 443; Bradley & Betrem 1964: 13, 21; Nagy 1967: 222; Bradley 1972: 9. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons haemorrhoidalis: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 443; Bradley & Betrem 1964: 14; Nagy 1967: 223; Bradley & Betrem 1964: 14; Tkalcû 1987: 290. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons siberica: Nagy 1967: 222. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons form vespertina Nagy, 1967: 223. Syn. nov. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons form vernalis Nagy, 1967: 223. Syn. nov. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons: Bradley 1972: 4. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons flavifrons form barbara: Bradley 1972: 5. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons bischoffi: Bradley 1972: 6. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons flavifrons form sicula: Bradley 1972: 15. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons flavifrons form verticalis: Bradley 1972: 17. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons haemorrhoidalis form insignis: Bradley 1974: 446. Scolia (Triscolia) maculata flavifrons haemorrhoidalis: Carrière 1985: 20. Megascolia flavifrons: Piek 1986 b: 45 – 47; Piek 1988: 37; Piek & Carrière 1990: 21 – 23; Carrière 1990: 16; Strumia 2019: 72, 78, 80; Golfetti et al. 2025: 3, 10. Megascolia flavifrons flavifrons: Piek 1986 b: 45 – 47; Pagliano 1987: 164; Piek & Carrière 1990: 21. Megascolia flavifrons haemorrhoidalis: Piek 1986 b: 45 – 47; Pagliano 1987: 165; Piek 1988: 37; Piek & Carrière 1990: 21; Diniz 1991: 31; Madl 1997: 827. Megascolia flavifrons flavifrons haemorrhoidalis: Piek & Carrière 1990: 21 – 23. Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons haemorrhoidalis var. bischoffi: Osten 1990: 470. Megascolia (Regiscolia) maculata maculata: Hamon & Osten 1994: 15; Hamon et al. 1995: 34; Basset 1998: 12; Osten 1999 a: 424; Osten & Özbek 1999: 436; Osten 2000: 546, 551, 557; Osten 2002: 344; Osten et al. 2003: 370; Osten & Arens 2004: 312; Osten 2005 a: 1455, 1461; Osten 2005 b: 37; Carrière 2006: 427; Ljubomirov 2006: 532; Fallahzadeh & Saghaei 2010: 793; Makhan 2012: 1 – 2; Samin & Baðrýaçýk 2012: 391; Samin et al. 2014: 716; Elcin & Baðrýaçýk 2015: 50. Megascolia (Regiscolia) maculata flavifrons: Hamon & Osten 1994: 15; Hamon et al. 1995: 36; Osten 1999 a: 424; Osten 2000: 546, 551, 557; Osten 2005 b: 37; Carrière 2006: 427; Carrière 2007: 247; Lohrmann & Engel 2015: 192 – 194; Turrisi et al. 2020: 728. Ascolia flavifrons: Argaman 1996: 188. Laskariska haemorrhoidalis: Argaman 1996: 188.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC0FFCD63E40845FA05D065.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Armenia. Ararat province. 1 ♂, Geghmahovit, 23. VI. 2024 (M. Aubert & V. Leclercq leg.) [CJBC]; Gegharkunik province. 1 ♂, Getik, 17. VI. 2024 (M. Aubert & V. Leclercq leg.) [CJBC]. Syunik province. 1 ♀, Meghri, 19. VI. 2024 (M. Aubert & V. Leclercq leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Vardanidzor, 19. VI. 2024 (M. Aubert & V. Leclercq leg.) [CJBC]. Bulgaria. Burgas region. 1 ♀, Ahtopol, 21. VII. 1977 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Cyprus. Paphos district. 1 ♀ 6 ♂, Latchi, 29. V. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 5 ♀ 5 ♂, Konia, 5. V. 2021 (J. Demetriou leg.) [CJBC]. Limassol district. 4 ♀ 5 ♂, Akrotíri, 14. V. 2021 (J. Demetriou leg.) [CJBC]. France. Ardèche department. 1 ♀, Saint- Marcel d’Ardèche, Mas de Libian, 11. VII. 2022 (F. Cabon leg.) [CFC]. Aude department. 3 ♀, Conques-sur-Orbiel, 15. VI. 2006 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Castelnau-d’Aude, 6. VII. 2011 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Monze, 17. VII. 2023 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, same place and collector, 16. VII. 2024 [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Saint-Martin-Lalande, 24. VII. 2024 (R. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]. Bouches-du-Rhône department. 1 ♂, Marseille, VI. 1991 (R. Minetti leg.) [CFC]. Drôme department. 2 ♂, Saint-Donat-sur-l’Herbasse, 1. VI. 2002 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Donzère, 9. VIII. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Haute-Corse department. 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Monte Grosso, 20. VI. 2009 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Venaco, 4. VII. 2015 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]; 4 ♀ 1 ♂, Bravona, 20. VI. 2018 (R. Minetti leg.) [CFC]. Hérault department. 1 ♀, Roquebrun, 22. VII. 2011 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]. Landes department. 1 ♀, Biscarosse, 8. VII. 1976 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Moliets-et-Maa, 12. VII. 2015 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀, Mimizan, 12. II. 2022 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]; 3 ♀, Soustons, 12. VII. 2023 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]. Lot department. 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Gourdon, 3. VII. 1973 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Var department. 1 ♀, Les Mayons, 1. VIII. 2002 (R. Minetti leg.) [CFC]; 1 ♀, La Cadière, 7. VIII. 2012 (R. Minetti leg.) [CFC]; 1 ♀, Hyères, 22. VII. 2016 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Rians, 12. VI. 2022 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]. Greece. Crete region. 1 ♂, Heraklion, 12. VI. 2017 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♂, Goúves, 7. VI. 2013 (A. Foucart leg.) [CJBC]. 1 ♀, Palaiochora, 1. VIII. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Chaniá, 18. VII. 1998 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀, Mathiá, 20. VII. 1996 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 2 ♀ 2 ♂, Kissamos, 27. VI. 2014 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Falassarna, 28. VI. 2014 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]. Eeastern Macedonia and Thrace region. 1 ♀, Loutros-Evros, 1. VII. 2007 (R. Minetti leg.) [CFC]. Epire region. 1 ♀, Vrosina, 24. VII. 2010 (R. Minetti leg.) [CFC]. Laconia region. 3 ♂, Neapoli, Amitsa beach, 6. V. 2025 (H. Brustel leg.) [CFC]; 1 ♀, Monemvasia, 7. V. 2025 (H. Brustel leg.) [CFC]. North Aegean region. 1 ♀, Mithymna, 28. VI. 2009 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Peloponnese region. 1 ♂, Mykines, 21. V. 1995 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 1 ♂, Mycenae, 7. V. 2025 (H. Brustel leg.) [CFC]; 2 ♀, Váthia, 16. VI. 1996 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Thessaly region. 1 ♀, Meteores, 7. VI. 2008 (R. Minetti leg.) [CFC]. Iran. Fars province. 2 ♂, Shiraz, 21. V. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Italy. Campania region. 1 ♀, Salerno, 1. VI. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Sardinia region. 2 ♀, Nuoro, 20. VI. 2006 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Morocco. Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region. 1 ♀ 2 ♂, El Arba, Route de Mrirt, 22. V. 2014 (J. F. Vayssières leg.) [CFC]; 2 ♀ 1 ♂, Oulmes, 22. V. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Russia. Rostov oblast. 1 ♀, Koysug, 14. VI. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Krasnodar region. 1 ♀, Leningradskaya, 12 VI. 2007 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Spain. Seville province. 1 ♀, Seville, 19. VII. 2013 (J. - B. Castagnet leg.) [CJBC]. Tarragona province. 1 ♂, Tarragona, 21. V. 1992 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Türkiye. 1 ♀, Coavada, 10. VI. 1998 (L. Grecco leg.) [CFC]; 1 ♀, same place and collector, 11. VI. 1998 [CFC]. Ukraine. Karkiv oblast. 2 ♀ 2 ♂, Karkiv, 18. V. 2014 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Odesa Oblast. 1 ♀, Chornomorsk, 23. VI. 2024 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC0FFCD63E40845FA05D065.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia maculata (Drury, 1773), comb. nov. differs from R. alecto (Smith, 1858), comb. nov., R. azurea (Christ, 1791), comb. nov., R. capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov. and R. fulvifrons (Saussure, 1855), comb. nov. in females by having the apical part of scutum with a dense, uninterrupted band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum short, approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 with sparse punctures similar to those of the median part. In contrast, in R. alecto, R. azurea, R. capitata and R. fulvifrons, the apical part of scutum has sparser punctures medially or is impunctate, thus not forming a continuous band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum is distinctly longer than the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 has finer and denser punctures forming a band, the median part being sparsely and coarsely punctate. In males, R. maculata differs by having the area around and between the posterior ocelli with very dense, tight, fine, and agglomerated punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum nearly equal to that of the metanotum. In contrast, in R. alecto, R. azurea, R. alecto and R. fulvifrons, the area around and between the posterior ocelli has sparser and coarser punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum is significantly greater than that of the metanotum. R. maculata is easily distinguished from R. capitata in males by having the frons and vertex distinctly more punctate. Whereas in R. capitata, the frons and vertex are almost entirely impunctate. In both sexes, the wings of R. bidens are bicolored, yellowish in the cells and dark elsewhere. Whereas in R. azurea, R. alecto, R. capitata, R. fulvifrons and R. splendida, the wings are entirely dark. R. maculata differs from R. almoraensis (Gupta & Jonathan, 2003), comb. nov. and R. rubida (Gribodo, 1893), comb. nov. in females by having the pronotum and the basal part of scutum with very fine, tight and dense punctures. In contrast in R. almoraensis and R. rubida, the pronotum has a large impunctate area close to the tegula or mostly has coarser and sparser punctures; and the basal part of scutum has denser and coarser punctures.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC0FFCD63E40845FA05D065.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 79). Length 29 – 40 mm. Head (Figs 79 B, C). Mandibles long and slender. Median mandibular tooth small and prominent, sometimes blunt. Anterior margin of clypeus rounded, without prominent lateral lobes; disk of clypeus not-domed and punctate apically and laterally; impunctate medially. Fissura frontalis passing through the frontal pit and ending at the median ocelli. Frons with numerous and dense punctures. Vertex densely punctate. Mesosoma (Fig. 79 D). Pronotum with fine, tight and dense punctures over its entire surface. Tegula with coarse punctures at base and along scutum; with micro-punctures often effaced on rest. Scutum with very fine, tight, coalescent and dense punctures basally; with sparse and coarse punctures laterally, except for antero-lateral corners with more dense, tight and fine punctures; largely impunctate medially; with a fine, dense, and continuous band of punctures apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, medially and apically, with sparse punctures laterally. Metanotum with fine, tight and dense punctures, with a thin impunctate central band. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with very dense, tight and fine punctures, without an impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly. Dorso-median area of propodeum without projections extended posteriorly, or at most with slight relief; approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; with very fine, tight dense punctures. Upper plate of metapleuron impunctate on its lower half, finely and densely punctate on the rest. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than or equal to posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Hind tibiae spurs of similar length. Metasoma (Fig. 79 E). T 1 with a tubercle depressed in the middle; finely and sparsely punctate basally revealing a small impunctate area in its center; very densely and finely punctate on laterally and apically. T 2 with scattered and coarse punctures basally and medially; with very fine, tight and dense punctures apically. T 3 almost entirely impunctate basally and medially; with dense, tight and fine punctures apically. T 4 to T 5 with similar punctation. S 1 with dense and fine punctures laterally, mostly impunctate on the rest. S 2 without distinct tubercle; with fine and dense punctures basally; with sparse and coarse punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures apically, with sparse punctures in the middle apically. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Figs 79 – 81). Head with frons, vertex and tempora more or less marked with yellow or entirely yellow; ocellar region often black. Antennae black to brown. Mesosoma black, scutellum often marked with yellow. Metasoma black, T 2 and T 3 with two yellow spots sometimes fused. Legs black. Wings bicolored, yellowish in the cells, dark on the rest. Pilosity generally black, except in the colored areas in flavifrons subspecies (Fig. 80); in nominal subspecies (Fig. 79), the pilosity on the pronotum, scutum basally, and apical tergites reddish; in bischoffi subspecies (Fig. 81), only the apical tergites have reddish pilosity. Male (Fig. 82). Length 21 – 32 mm. Head (Figs 82 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with sparse punctures apically, dense and coarse punctures basally and laterally. Fissura frontalis visible reaching anterior ocelli. Frontal cross-furrow visible, its extension reaching the upper part of the ocular sinus. Frontal spatium with dense, tight and fine punctures. Anterior ocellus depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with dense, fine and tight punctures, impunctate in front of the anterior ocellus. Vertex with fine, tight and dense punctures, particularly around the posterior ocelli. Mesosoma (Fig. 82 D). Pronotum with dense, tight and fine punctures over its entire surface, inter-points spaces almost coalescent. Tegula with dense and coarse punctures anteriorly and along the scutum, largely impunctate near the wing. Scutum with very fine, coalescent and dense punctures in its anterior third; with dense and fine punctures on the rest. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally; sparser medially; mostly impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine and dense punctures laterally, impunctate line in the middle. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum without impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly; with fine, dense and tight punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum without protruding projections; with dense, fine and coalescent punctures over its entire surface. Anterior margin of the marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Metasoma (Fig. 82 E). T 1 with a strong tubercle; with dense, fine and tight punctures over its entire surface. T 2 with fine, tight and dense punctures, slightly sparse medially. T 3 - T 6 similarly punctate. S 1 raised in the middle, with dense punctures medially. S 2 without tubercle; with dense and fine punctures basally and laterally, sparser medially and apically. S 3 with sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S 4 - S 6 similarly punctate. Coloration (Figs 82 – 84). Head black, ocular sinus often marked with yellow-orange, sometimes tempora. Antennae black. Mesosoma black. Metasoma black, except T 2 - T 3 marked with two yellow spots, sometimes fused; occasionally T 4 marked with yellow (mainly in bischoffi subspecies). Pilosity generally black, except in the colored areas in flavifrons subspecies (Fig. 83); in nominal subspecies (Fig. 82), the pilosity on the pronotum, scutum, and apical tergites reddish; in bischoffi subspecies (Fig. 84), only the apical tergites have reddish pilosity. Wings bicolored, yellowish in the cells, dark on the rest. Genitalia. See Fig. 31 G.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC0FFCD63E40845FA05D065.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Egypt, France (Corsica include) Georgia, Germany, Greece (Creta, Cyclades, Dodecanese Islands include), Hungary, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Italy (Sicily include), Kazakhstan (Atyrau), Kuwait, Macedonia, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Russia (Adygea, Bashkortostan, Chechnya, Chelyabinsk, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Karachay-Cherkessia, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, North Ossetia-Alania, Penza, Rostov, Samara, Saratov, Stavropol, Ulyanovsk, Vladimir), Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (Mallorca and Balearic islands include), Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine (Guiglia 1938; Betrem 1941; Steinberg 1962; Friese & Muche 1967; Nagy 1967; Muche 1975; Pagliano 1987; Hamon et al. 1995; Osten 2000; Osten 2002; Osten 2005 a; Schedl 2006; Ljubomirov 2006; Bogusch 2007; Fallahzadeh & Saghaei 2010; Özbek & Anlaş 2011; Makhan 2012; Juillerat 2013; Samin et al. 2014; Lohrmann & Engel 2015; Olszewski et al. 2016; Ruchin & Artaev 2016; Lelej & Mokrousov 2017; Mokrousov & Lelej 2017; Dvořák & Boščík 2017; Tüzün & Yalniz 2018; Gadallah & Brothers 2020; Baldock et al. 2020; Örgel et al. 2020; Tischendorf & Dieterich 2020; Verheyde et al. 2021; Demetriou et al. 2021; Verheyde et al. 2023) (Fig. 85). Tischendorf & Dieterich (2020) report an observation in Germany (Hesse) and discuss the possible acclimatization and establishment in the country.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC0FFCD63E40845FA05D065.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. The biology of Regiscolia maculata has been extensively studied (Passerini 1840, 1841; Lepeletier 1845; Fabre 1891; Schumacher 1917; Berland 1925; Cros 1929; Carrière 1990, 2006; Vereecken & Carrière 2003). The species is known to parasitize the following species: Anoxia villosa (Fabricius, 1781), Lucanus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758), Oryctes nasicornis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Polyphylla fullo (Linnaeus, 1758) (Vereecken & Carrière 2003).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC0FFCD63E40845FA05D065.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Three subspecies of Regiscolia maculata are recognized (Osten 2000, 2005 b): ssp. flavifrons (Fabricius, 1775) from Italy to Portugal (Figs 80, 83), ssp. bischoffi (Micha, 1927) from Cyprus (Figs 81, 84) and ssp. maculata (Drury, 1773) from Southwest France and eastern Mediterranean (except Cyprus) (Figs 79, 82). These subspecies are geographically distinct despite some areas of overlap (Osten 2000) and are based mainly on the pilosity coloration (Osten 2000). Piek (1986) and Piek & Carrière (1990) reported the presence of atypical specimens of ssp. flavifrons in southeastern France, showing partially reddish pilosity on the metasoma, similar to that observed in the nominal subspecies. According to them, the coexistence of both forms within the flavifrons population suggests there is no clear geographical separation, thus calling into question the validity of these subspecies. They propose using the term “ variation ” to distinguish between the two forms (flavifrons and maculata). They also observed a possible correlation between low winter temperatures and the appearance of reddish-haired specimens in the southeastern French population (Piek & Carrière 1990). However, although this hypothesis is intriguing, it should be approached with caution, as specimens from the eastern Mediterranean also show reddish pilosity on the abdomen despite not experiencing harsh winters. According to Schmid-Egger & Schmidt (2021), DNA barcoding of specimens representing the three subspecies (maculata, flavifrons, and bischoffi) seems not reveal any genetic sub-clustering. DNA barcoding therefore does not support their subspecies status, and considering their partially overlapping distribution, the current subspecies most likely represent geographically based colour variation. Further studies are needed to clarify the validity of these subspecies. Numerous subspecies, forms, and varieties have been described: Triscolia maculata barbara Micha 1927, Triscolia maculata form verticalis Micha 1927, Triscolia maculata sicula Micha 1927, Scolia (Triscolia) maculata flavifrons var. funerea Guiglia 1928, Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons var. nigra Dusmet 1930, Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons form vespertina Nagy 1967, and Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons form vernalis Nagy 1967. These taxa are distinguished solely by a few characters related to the coloration of the body and pilosity, such as the extent of black pigmentation on the head in Triscolia maculata barbara Micha 1927 and Triscolia maculata sicula Micha 1927. However, these coloration characteristics are variable within populations of R. maculata. Consequently, the taxa Triscolia maculata barbara Micha 1927, syn. nov., Triscolia maculata form verticalis Micha 1927, syn. nov., Triscolia maculata sicula Micha 1927, syn. nov., Scolia (Triscolia) maculata flavifrons var. funerea Guiglia 1928, syn. nov., Scolia (Triscolia) flavifrons var. nigra Dusmet 1930, syn. nov., Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons form vespertina Nagy 1967, syn. nov., and Megascolia (Regiscolia) flavifrons form vernalis Nagy 1967, syn. nov., are synonymized with R. maculata. The three valid subspecies can be distinguished using the following key.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFC0FFCD63E40845FA05D065.taxon	description	- Metasoma with reddish pilosity on apical tergites (Figs 79, 81, 82, 84). Mainly eastern Mediterranean, plus southwest France ................................................................................................... 2 2. Mesosoma with entirely black pilosity (Figs 81, 84). T 4 often marked with yellow (in male). Cyprus .... ssp. bischoffi (Micha) - Mesosoma with reddish pilosity on pronotum, scutum partially or entirely, sometimes on the scutellum, metanotum and propodeum (Figs 79, 82). T 4 generally black. Eastern Mediterranean (except Cyprus) and southwest France .................................................................................................. ssp. maculata (Drury)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF4FFC963E40902FA05D5F7.taxon	description	(Figs 86 – 88)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF4FFC963E40902FA05D5F7.taxon	description	(resurrect rubida as valid species). Megascolia (Regiscolia) rubida: Betrem & Bradley 1964: 443; Nagy 1967: 222; Bradley 1973 a: 286; Osten 1992: 98; Osten 1999 a: 424; Osten 2000: 546, 551, 557; Timokhanov & Kazenas 2000: 226; Gupta & Jonathan 2003: 142; Osten et al. 2003: 370; Osten 2005 a: 1455, 1462; Osten 2005 b: 42; Milko & Kazenas 2005: 38; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017: 5. Megascolia rubida: Nagy 1967: 222. Zazilayza rubida: Argaman 1996: 188.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF4FFC963E40902FA05D5F7.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Kazakhstan. Almaty Region. 1 ♂, Chundzha, 2. VI. 2024 (C. Schmid-Egger leg.) [CJBC]. Turkistan region. 1 ♀ 1 ♂, Turkistan, 12. VI. 2018 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Kyzylorda region. 1 ♂, Kyzylorda, 1. V. 2014 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Pakistan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 1 ♂, Balakot, 12. IV. 2025 (C. Schmid-Egger leg.) [CJBC]. Uzbekistan. Kachkadaria province. 2 ♀ 2 ♂, Karchi, 3. VI. 2015 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Surkhandary province. 2 ♂, Machai, 5. V. 2012 (V. Gromenko leg.) [CJBC]. Tadjikistan. Districts under Tajikistan Central Government Jurisdiction region. 2 ♀ 1 ♂, Navobod, 25. V. 2019 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]; 3 ♀, Sangvor, 4. VII. 2021 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC]. Khatlon region. 1 ♀, Vose, 29. V. 2013 (local coll. leg.) [CJBC].	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF4FFC963E40902FA05D5F7.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia rubida (Gribodo, 1893), comb. nov. differs from R. alecto (Smith, 1858), comb. nov., R. azurea (Christ, 1791), comb. nov., R. capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov. and R. fulvifrons (Saussure, 1855), comb. nov. in females by having the apical part of scutum with a dense, uninterrupted band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum short, approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 with sparse punctures similar to those of the median part. In contrast, in R. azurea, R. capitata and R. fulvifrons, the apical part of scutum has sparser punctures medially or is impunctate, thus not forming a continuous band of punctures along the scutellum; the dorso-median area of propodeum is distinctly longer than the metanotum; and the basal part of T 2 has finer and denser punctures forming a band, the median part being sparsely and coarsely punctate. In males, R. rubida differs by having the area around and between the posterior ocelli with very dense, tight, fine, and agglomerated punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum nearly equal to that of the metanotum. In contrast, in R. azurea, R. alecto and R. fulvifrons, the area around and between the posterior ocelli has sparser and coarser punctures; and the length of the dorso-median area of propodeum is significantly greater than that of the metanotum. R. rubida is easily distinguished from R. capitata in males by having the frons and vertex distinctly more punctate. Whereas in R. capitata, the frons and vertex are almost entirely impunctate. In both sexes, the wings of R. bidens are bicolored, yellowish in the cells and dark elsewhere. Whereas in R. azurea, R. alecto, R. capitata, R. fulvifrons and R. splendida, the wings are entirely dark. R. rubida differs from R. bidens (Linnaeus, 1767), comb. nov. and R. maculata (Drury, 1773), comb. nov. in females by having the pronotum with a large impunctate area close to tegula; and the basal part of scutum with dense and coarse punctures. In contrast in R. bidens and R. maculata, the pronotum and the basal part of scutum have finer, tighter and denser punctures. R. rubida differs from R. almoraensis in females by having the pronotum with a large impunctate area close the tegula. Whereas in R. almoraensis, the pronotum is covered with coarser and sparser punctures.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF4FFC963E40902FA05D5F7.taxon	description	R. rubida differs from R. bidens in males by having the upper margin of marginal cell significantly longer than the lower margin. Whereas in R. bidens, the upper margin of marginal cell is shorter or almost equal to the lower margin.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF4FFC963E40902FA05D5F7.taxon	description	Redescription. Female (Fig. 86). Length 30 – 35 mm. Head (Figs 86 B, C). Mandibles long and slender. Median mandibular tooth small and prominent, sometimes blunt. Anterior margin of clypeus rounded, without prominent lateral lobes; disk of clypeus not-domed and punctate apically and laterally; impunctate in the middle. Fissura frontalis distinct, ending in the frontal pit. Frons with numerous and dense punctures. Vertex densely punctate. Mesosoma (Fig. 86 D). Pronotum with fine, tight and dense punctures, near the excavation of pronotum with a large impunctate surface. Tegula with coarse and sparse punctures basally and along scutum. Scutum with coarse and dense punctures on the basal third; with sparse and coarse punctures laterally; largely impunctate medially; with a fine, dense, and continuous band of punctures apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, medially and apically, with sparse and coarse punctures laterally. Metanotum with fine, tight and dense punctures, with a thin impunctate central band. Dorso-lateral area propodeum with very dense, tight and fine punctures, without an impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly. Dorso-median area of propodeum with two protruding projections prolonged towards the rear; approximately equal to the length of the metanotum; with very fine, tight dense punctures. Upper plate of metapleuron impunctate on its lower half, finely and densely punctate on the rest. Anterior margin of marginal cell longer than or equal to posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Hind tibiae spurs of similar length. Metasoma (Fig. 86 E). T 1 with a tubercle depressed in the middle; finely and sparsely punctate at base revealing a small impunctate area in its center; very densely and finely punctate laterally and apically. T 2 with scattered and coarse punctures basally and medially; with very fine, tight and dense punctures apically. T 3 almost entirely impunctate basally and medially; with dense, tight and fine punctures apically. T 4 to T 5 with similar punctation. S 1 with dense and fine punctures laterally, mostly impunctate on the rest. S 2 without distinct tubercle; with fine and dense punctures basally; with sparse and coarse punctures medially; with dense and fine punctures, in the middle with sparse punctures apically. S 3 to S 5 with similar punctation. Coloration (Fig. 86). Most of the integument with reddish-brown tinge. Head marked with yellow on frons, vertex and tempora; ocellar region yellow-orange. Antennae orange-reddish. Mesosoma with scutellum often marked with yellow-orange and sometimes metanotum. Metasoma with T 2 and T 3 with two yellow spots more or less fused. Legs reddish. Wings bicolored, yellowish in the cells, dark on the rest. Pilosity tawny, except in the colored areas. Male (Fig. 87). Length 24 – 28 mm. Head (Figs 87 B, C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with sparse punctures apically, dense and coarse punctures basally and laterally. Fissura frontalis visible reaching anterior ocelli. Frontal cross-furrow visible, its extension reaching the upper part of the ocular sinus. Frontal spatium with dense, tight and fine punctures. Anterior ocelli depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with dense, fine and tight punctures, impunctate in front of the anterior ocellus. Vertex with fine, tight and dense punctures, particularly around the posterior ocelli. Mesosoma (Fig. 87 D). Pronotum with dense, tight and fine punctures over its entire surface, inter-points spaces almost coalescent. Tegula with dense and coarse punctures anteriorly and along the scutum, largely impunctate near the wing. Scutum with fine, tight and dense punctures in its basal third; with dense and fine punctures on the rest. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, sparser medially and mostly impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine and dense punctures laterally, impunctate line in the middle. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum without impunctate area (mirror) anteriorly; with fine, dense and tight punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum with two protruding projections prolonged towards the rear; with very fine, tight dense punctures. Anterior margin of the marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Metasoma (Fig. 87 E). T 1 with a strong tubercle; with dense, fine and tight punctures over its entire surface. T 2 with fine, tight and dense punctures, slightly sparse medially. T 3 - T 6 similarly punctate. S 1 raised in the middle, with dense punctures medially. S 2 without tubercle; with dense and fine punctures basally and laterally, sparser medially and apically. S 3 with sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S 4 - S 6 similarly punctate. Coloration (Fig. 87). Head reddish-brown, ocular sinus often yellowish-orange, sometimes tempora. Antennae orange-reddish except for the scape and pedicel brown. Mesosoma reddish-brown. Metasoma reddish-brown, T 2 - T 3 marked by two yellow spots, generally fused. Wings bicolored, yellowish in the cells, dark on the rest. Pilosity tawny on head, pronotum, scutum, scutellum and last tergites; black on metanotum, propodeum and T 1; yellow in the colored areas. Genitalia. See Fig. 31 H.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF4FFC963E40902FA05D5F7.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Afghanistan, India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Kashmir), Kazakhstan (Almaty, Jambyl, Kyzylorda, Turkestan), Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan (Steinberg 1962; Timokhanov & Kazenas 2000; Osten 2000, 2005 a; Osten et al. 2003; Gupta & Jonathan 2003; Milko & Kazenas 2005; Kumar & Rajmohana 2017) (Fig. 88). Steinberg (1962) cites M. rubida from Iran, with the locality given as Kuli-Tukai. This record is also mentioned by Osten et al. (2003), though with some doubt, as the locality Kuli-Tukai now appears to be untraceable. Pending further data concerning Iran, this record is not considered here. Nagy (1965) cites this species from Romania (Tulcea), but this record appears to be doubtful and is also not considered here.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF4FFC963E40902FA05D5F7.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. According to Timokhanov & Kazenas (2000), females of this species parasitize the larvae of Oryctes spp. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). As specified by Milko & Kazenas (2005), in Kazakhstan R. rubida is found in habitats of Oryctes nasicornis punctipennis Motschulsky, 1860, where dead trees and decaying stumps are present.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF1FFD463E40BCCFA05D56C.taxon	description	(Figs 89 – 92)	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF1FFD463E40BCCFA05D56C.taxon	materials_examined	Type material examined. Holotype of Scolia (Triscolia sectio Triscolia) wetterensis (RMNH), ♂, [white labels] ‘ Scolia wetterensis Betr Holotype det. Betrem’, ‘ K. Schädler / Wetter / acg [?]. 1898 ’, [red label] ‘ Holotype’ (Fig. 89). Holotype of Scolia (Triscolia sectio Triscolia) wetterensis floresensis (RMNH), ♂, [white labels] ‘ Scolia wetterensis subspec florensis Betr Holotype det. Betrem’, ‘ H. Ten Kate / O. Flores / 1891 ’, [red label] ‘ Holotype’ (Fig. 90).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF1FFD463E40BCCFA05D56C.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Regiscolia splendida (Saussure, 1858), comb. nov. differs from R. alecto (Smith, 1858), comb. nov., R. almoraensis (Gupta & Jonathan, 2003), comb. nov., R. azurea (Christ, 1791), comb. nov., R. bidens (Linnaeus, 1767), comb. nov., R. capitata (Fabricius, 1804), comb. nov., R. fulvifrons (Saussure, 1855), comb. nov., R. maculata (Drury, 1773), comb. nov. and R. rubida (Gribodo, 1893), comb. nov. in both sexes (see remarks section for the female diagnosis) by having the mesosoma marked with orange on pronotum and scutum (except in ssp. floresensis). In constrast in R. alecto, R. almoraensis, R. azurea, R. bidens, R. capitata, R. fulvifrons, R. maculata, and R. rubida, the mesosoma is entirely melanistic (sometimes only scutellum with yellowish). Moreover, R. splendida differs from R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, in both sexes, by having the wings entirely dark. Whereas in R. almoraensis, R. bidens, R. maculata, and R. rubida, the wings are bicolored, yellowish in the cells and dark elsewhere (in R. almoraensis the wings are almost entirely black). The ssp. florensis, known only from the male, is distinguished from R. alecto by having the metasoma marked with orange-yellow on the T 3. Whereas in R. alecto, the mesosoma and metasoma are entirely melanistic.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF1FFD463E40BCCFA05D56C.taxon	description	The ssp. florensis is distinguished from R. azurea in males, by having the pilosity of the metasoma entirely black (yellow in the colored areas). Whereas in R. azurea, the metasoma has red pilosity apically. The ssp. florensis is distinguished from R. capitata by having an entirely black mesosoma. Whereas in R. capitata, the mesosoma is marked with yellow on scutellum, metanotum and dorso-median area of propodeum. The ssp. florensis is distinguished from R. fulvifrons by having the head being predominantly yellow. Whereas in R. fulvifrons, the head is predominantly black. Female. Undescribed (see remarks). Redescription. Male (Figs 89, 90). Length 24 – 28 mm. Head (Figs 89 C, 90 C). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with few coarse and dense punctures medially, denser and finer punctures basally and laterally. Frontal spatium with dense, tight and fine punctures. Fissura frontalis barely visible after the frontal spatium, not reaching the anterior ocellus. Frontal cross-furrow barely visible, its extension reaching the upper lobe of the eye. Anterior ocelli depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with dense and coarse punctures, except in front of anterior ocellus with an impunctate area and between ocular sinus and spatium frontal. Vertex behind the ocelli with dense and coarse punctures. Mesosoma (Figs 89 A, 90 A). Pronotum with dense and fine punctures over its entire surface. Tegula with few coarse punctures anteriorly, with shallow and dense micropunctures on the rest. Scutum with fine and dense punctures basally and laterally; coarse and sparse punctures medially, with impunctate area. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, sparser and coarser medially and mostly impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine and dense punctures laterally, impunctate line in the middle. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with an impunctate area (mirror); with fine, dense and tight punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum with fine, tight and dense punctures over its entire surface. Anterior margin of the marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells. Metasoma (Figs 89 A, 90 A). T 1 with a strong tubercle; very dense and fine punctures laterally and apically; more coarsely and sparsely punctate basally at the level of tubercle. T 2 with fine, tight and dense punctures; sparser punctures medially. T 3 largely impunctate medially, with dense and fine punctures laterally and apically, less dense and sparse punctures basally. T 4 - T 6 similarly punctate. S 1 raised in the middle, with dense punctures. S 2 without tubercle; with dense and fine punctures basally and laterally, mostly impunctate medially and apically. S 3 with very sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S 4 - S 6 similarly punctate. Coloration (Figs 89, 90). Clypeus, frons, vertex and tempora yellow-orange, and sometimes frontal area. Mesosoma entirely black in the floresensis subspecies (Fig. 90), with yellow markings on pronotum, entire scutum and scutellum in the nominal subspecies (Fig. 89). Metasoma black, marked with two yellow-orange spots sometimes fused. Wings entirely dark. Pilosity black, yellow in the colored areas. Genitalia. Known only from the two type specimens, genitalia have not been examined.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF1FFD463E40BCCFA05D56C.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Indonesia (East Nusa Tenggara [Flores, Rote]; Maluku [Wetar]) (Saussure 1858; Betrem 1928) (Fig. 91).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF1FFD463E40BCCFA05D56C.taxon	biology_ecology	Biology. Unknown.	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
03B687D7FFF1FFD463E40BCCFA05D56C.taxon	discussion	Remarks. The female of Regiscolia splendida is unknown and has never been described. However, photographs published on iNaturalist by Colin Trainor (user “ colintrainor ”) show an undescribed Regiscolia female, exhibiting a habitus very similar to that of the male of R. splendida (Fig. 92). This observation was made on Rote Island (Rote Ndao Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, 10 ° 55 ’ 20.1 ” S 122 ° 50 ’ 53.0 ” E), located near Flores and Wetar. Given the locality and the strong morphological resemblance to the male R. splendida, it is highly likely that this individual represents the undescribed female of this species. Moreover, its distinctive habitus, as in the male of R. splendida, is sufficiently different to avoid confusion with any other known species of Regiscolia. Based on the available photographs, a preliminary description of the habitus can be proposed: frons, vertex, and temples yellow-orange. Mesosoma black, pronotum and scutum (entirely) yellow-orange. Metasoma black, with two yellow-orange spots. Pilosity black, turning yellow-orange in the colored areas. In addition, the following morphological details can be noted: frons and vertex almost impunctate; pronotum with sparse punctures laterally; scutum largely impunctate; T 1 with a prominent tubercle. Two subspecies of R. splendida are recognized (Betrem & Bradley 1964; Osten 2005 b): ssp. splendida (Saussure, 1858) from Wettar and Rote islands (Figs 89, 92) and ssp. floresensis (Betrem, 1928) from Flores island (Fig. 90).	en	Castagnet, Jean-Baptiste, Cabon, Flavien (2025): Review of the genus Megascolia Betrem, 1928 (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Zootaxa 5700 (1): 1-127, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5700.1.1
