Megaxyela Ashmead, 1898

Stephan M. Blank, Katja Kramp, David R. Smith, Yuri N. Sundukov, Meicai Wei & Akihiko Shinohara, 2017, Big and beautiful: the Megaxyela species (Hymenoptera, Xyelidae) of East Asia and North America, European Journal of Taxonomy 348, pp. 1-46 : 9

Megaxyela Ashmead, 1898

Megaxyela Ashmead in Dyar, 1898a [May]: 214 ( nec Ashmead in Dyar 1898b [July]: 174),

type species: Xyela major Cresson, 1880 (now Megaxyela major ), by original designation.

Odontophyes Konow, 1899: 42, type species: Pleroneura avingrata Konow, 1899 (unjustified emendation and homonym of Pleuroneura [sic!] aviingrata Dyar, 1898; now Megaxyela aviingrata), by monotypy.

Megaloxyela Schulz, 1906: 88 , unjustified emendation of Megaxyela Ashmead, 1898 .

Paraxyela MacGillivray, 1912: 294, type species: Xyela tricolor Norton, 1862 (now Megaxyela tricolor ), by original designation.

Odontophyes – Ross 1932: 161 (synonymy with Megaxyela ).

Paraxyela – Ross 1932: 161 (synonymy with Megaxyela ).

Megaloxyela – Smith 1978: 24 (listed in synonymy with Megaxyela ).

Remarks

Megaxyela species differ from other extant xyelids by the following characters: carina along inner orbit present (e.g., Figs 3F–G , 4G ), sometimes obscured by other surface sculpture (e.g., Figs 6C , 8F ); vein Sc2 of fore wing joining R at 0.25–0.50 of distance between separation of Rs from R and pterostigma ( Fig. 1A–B ); hind legs extended, about 1.5–2.0 × as long as body (e.g., Fig. 3A–B, 3D–E ). The taxonomic recognition of Megaxyela from other extant Xyelidae is possible with the keys of Ross (1937), Benson (1945) and Blank (2002).

Figures

Fig. 1. Megaxyela Ashmead, 1898, morphological terminology. A. M. major (Cresson, 1880) (♀, paralectotype, DEI-GISHym 30823, ANSP), wings. B. M. parki Shinohara, 1992 (♀, 18509, NSMT), section of fore wing. C. M. euchroma Blank, Shinohara & Wei sp. nov. (♂, paratype, 22513, NSMT), penis valve. D. M. parki (♂, 710, NSMT), antenna. E. M. gigantea Mocsáry, 1909 (♀, holotype of M. mikado Sato, 1930, 22350, NSMT), ovipositor and ovipositor sheath, with indication of measurement of length of valvifer 2 (blue), valvula 3 (white), and width of valvula 3 (yellow). F. M. euchroma sp. nov. (♀, paratype, 22558, CSCS), section of ovipositor, white arrow heads indicating teeth of ctenidia on valvulae 1 and 2.

Fig. 3. Megaxyela euchroma Blank, Shinohara & Wei sp. nov. A – B. Habitus dorsal / lateral (♀, holotype, DEI-GISHym 22554, CSCS). C. Abdomen ventral, arrowheads indicating white stripe along ventral edge of terga (♀, 22511, NSMT). D – E. Habitus dorsal / lateroventral (♂, 22514, NSMT). F – G. Head, obliquely lateral / frontal, arrowheads indicating carina along inner orbit (♂, 22510, NSMT). H – K. Metatarsus, lateroventral (♀, holotype, 22554, CSCS), ventral (♀, 22510, NSMT), tarsomeres 1 – 2, ventral, arrowheads indicating small pulvilli (♀, 22509, NSMT), lateroventral (♂, 22513, NSMT).

Fig. 4. Megaxyela fulvago Blank, Shinohara & Wei sp. nov. A. Habitus lateral (♀, DEI-GISHym 5752, NSMT). B. Metatarsus lateral (♀, 5752, NSMT). C – D. Metatarsus lateral / ventral (♂, holotype, 5236, CSCS). E – F. Habitus dorsal / lateroventral (♂, holotype, 5236, CSCS). G. Head frontal (♂, 5239, NSMT).

Fig. 6. Megaxyela inversa Blank & D. R. Smith sp. nov. (♀, paratype, DEI-GISHym 22356, USNM). A. Habitus, lateral; small insertion: original collection labels. B. Antenna. C. Head, frontal, arrowhead indicating carina along inner orbit. D – E. Metatarsus, lateral / lateroventral view. F – G. Wings.

Fig. 8. Megaxyela parki Shinohara, 1992. A – B. Habitus dorsal / lateroventral (♀, DEI-GISHym 18509, NSMT). C – D. Habitus dorsal / lateroventral (♂, 710, NSMT). E. Head frontal (♂, 710, NSMT). F – G. Metatarsus lateral / ventral, arrowheads indicate pulvilli (♀, 18509, NSMT). H. Metatarsus lateral (♂, 710, NSMT).