Megaxyela Ashmead in Dyar 1898
Creators: name: Stephan M. Blank
name: Katja Kramp
name: David R. Smith
name: Yuri N. Sundukov
name: Meicai Wei
name: Akihiko Shinohara
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Xyelidae
Megaxyela

description: Identification key to the species of Megaxyela
1 a Valvula 3 of ovipositor sheath dorsally straight, ventrally evenly convex in basal and medial portion Fig. 11D). b Ovipositor curved dorsally (Fig. 12D). Male unknown. USA (West Virginia) ……………… M. inversa Blank & D.R. Smith sp. nov.
– aa Valvula 3 of ovipositor sheath dorsally convex, ventrally various in shape (Fig. 11A–C, E–H; Smith & Schiff 1998: figs 7–11). bb Ovipositor curved ventrally (Fig. 12A–B, E–H, Smith & Schiff 1998: figs 16–23, 26–27) ……2
2(1) a East Palaearctic and Oriental species …………………………………………………………3
– aa Nearctic species ………………………………………………………………………………8
3(2) a Tergum 8 red brown (Fig. 8A, D). b Eye surrounded by black except for red brown malar space (Fig. 8F). c Antenna red brown (Figs 1D, 8A–D). d Claw of hind leg with large subapical tooth (Fig. 8F–G). South Korea (Fig. 14) ……………………………………………… M. parki Shinohara, 1992
– aa Tergum 8 black (e.g., Fig. 3A, D), sometimes laterally and ventrally white (e.g., Figs 4A, 5A–D, 9C). bb Eye at least narrowly lined with yellow or red brown on inner and outer orbits (Figs 3F, 9F, 10C–D) or face predominantly pale (Figs 4G, 5E). cc Dorsal side of antenna black. dd Claws bifid (e.g., Figs 3H–I, 4D, 5G) ………………………………………………………4
4(3) a Metatarsus white, base of metatarsomere 1 black (Fig. 3A–B, D–E, H–I, K). b Terga 2–6 with narrow, evenly wide line along ventral margin (Fig. 3C), terga 2–4 laterally black in dorsal view (Fig. 3A, D). c Head black, inner and outer orbits with narrow yellow lines, vertex with linear yellow spot (Fig. 3F–G). d Pulvillus present on metatarsomere 1 (Fig. 3I –K). e Mesepisternum with indistinct pits between minutely areolate microstructure, dull. f Antennal filament composed of 7–8 (rarely 9) articles. g ♀: Ovipositor sheath black except for brown basal half of valvifer 2 (Fig. 11A). h ♀: Ovipositor with ctenidia along annuli (Figs 1F, 12A). i ♂: Hypopygium black (Fig. 3E). China (Zhejiang) (Fig. 14) …………………… M. euchroma Blank, Shinohara & Wei sp. nov.
– aa Metatarsus black (e.g., Figs 4A–F, 5C–H). bb Terga 2–3 or 2–4 with broad white band on dorsolateral and complete ventral portion, terga 3–5 or 4–5 less extensively white than preceding terga (Figs 4A, E–F, 5A–D, 9A–E, 10A–B, E–F). cc Head more extensively red brown or yellow, at least gena and face below antennal toruli pale (Figs 4G, 5E, 9F, 10C–D). dd Pulvillus absent on metatarsomere 1. ee Mesepisternum with distinct pits, smooth or with coriarious microstructure, more or less shining. ff Antennal filament composed of 9–10 articles (rarely fewer articles present on one antenna, check both antennae). gg ♀: Ovipositor sheath red brown, valvifer 2 sometimes white, valvula 3 sometimes infuscated along dorsal margin (Fig. 11C, G–H). hh ♀: Ovipositor without ctenidia along annuli (Fig. 12B–C, G–H). ii ♂: Hypopygium red brown (Figs 4F, 5D, 9E) or white (Fig. 10F) ……………………………5
5(4) a Head, prothorax and mesothorax red brown, without black (Fig. 4A, E–G). China (Hunan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang) (Fig. 14) … M. fulvago Blank, Shinohara & Wei sp. nov.
– aa At least mesoscutum and usually vertex partly black (e.g., Figs 5A, C, 10A, E) ……6
6(5) a At least ventral half of frons red brown (Fig. 5E). b Pterostigma unicolorous yellow brown (Fig. 5A, C). c Upper part of gena weakly imbricate, almost smooth, shining (Fig. 5B). d Microsculpture of frons above antennal toruli minutely areolate, similar to microsculpture of vertex, with few shallow pits (Fig. 5E). e Dorsal side of terga 2–4 with evenly wide, white lateral margins (Fig. 5A, C). North and South Korea, Russia (Primorskiy Kray) (Fig. 14) …… M. gigantea Mocsáry, 1909
– aa Black spot of frons ventrally extending to antennal toruli (Figs 9F, 10C–D). bb Pterostigma yellow brown, narrow at base and anterior margin infuscate (e.g., Figs 9A, 10A). cc Upper part of gena strongly imbricate, dull. dd Microsculpture of frons above antennal toruli rugulose, different from areolate microsculpture of vertex (Figs 9F, 10C–D). ee White lateral margin on dorsal side of tergum 4 narrower than on terga 2–3 or absent (e.g., Figs 9A–E, 10E) ……………………………………………………………………………7
7(6) a Mesonotum black or with a small brown spot lateral to mesoscutellum (Fig. 9A, D). b Preapical sterna white (Fig. 9B, E), sometimes with pair of small black marks on anterior margin (Fig. 9C). c ♀: Thorax ventrally red brown (Fig. 9B, E). d ♀: Ovipositor sheath red brown, sometimes tip of valvula 3 black (Fig. 11G). e ♂: Hypopygium red brown (Fig. 9E). China (Jilin, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Tibet), South Korea, Russia (Primorskiy Kray) (Fig. 14) …………………………………………… M. pulchra Blank, Shinohara & Sundukov sp. nov.
– aa Mesonotum black with yellow stripes along posterolateral ridge on mesoscutal lateral lobe (Fig. 10A, E). bb Sterna red brown to white, preapical sterna with pair of large black marks on anterior margin (Fig. 10B, F). cc ♀: Mesepisternum red brown, black spot in dorsal corner, black stripe along pectus, pectus largely black medially (Fig. 10B). dd ♀: Ovipositor sheath red brown with valvifer 2 ventrally yellow white, and valvula 3 with black stripe along dorsal margin (Fig. 11H). ee ♂: Hypopygium white (Fig. 10F). Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku) (Fig. 14) ……………… M. togashii Shinohara, 1992
8(2) a Metafemur, tegula and abdomen black, sterna with indistinctly pale posterior margins. b Tarsomeres (2–)3–5 of hind legs white. Canada (Ontario), USA (Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania) ………………………………………… M. aviingrata (Dyar, 1898)
– aa Metafemur red brown, sometimes apex narrowly black (e.g., Smith & Schiff 1998, fig. 3). Tegula white. Sterna red brown and/or posterior margins of terga and sterna white. bb Metatarsus sometimes completely black (e.g., Smith & Schiff 1998: figs 14 and 15) ……9
9(8) a Head yellow and red brown, pronotum red brown (Fig. 7A–C, G–I). b Metatibia red brown or black, basal 0.2–0.4 white (Fig. 7A–B, F–H) ………………………10
– aa Head (except for clypeus, labrum, mouthparts, mandible) and pronotum black (e.g., Smith & Schiff 1998: fig. 3). bb Metatibia entirely black (e.g., Smith & Schiff 1998: fig. 3) ……………………………11
10(9) a Basal 0.3–0.5 of pterostigma black, distal portion red brown (Fig. 7A–B). b Dorsal side of terga red brown, terga 1(–2) medially more or less infuscate (Fig. 7A). c Basal 0.05–0.10 of metafemur yellow white (Fig. 7B, F). d Distal preapical metatibial spur reaches apex of metatibia (Fig. 7B), inner apical metatibial spur 0.5 × as long as metatarsomere 1 or longer (Fig. 7D–E). USA (Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas) ……………………… M. langstoni Ross, 1936 sp. rev.
– aa Pterostigma uniformly red brown (Fig 7G). bb Dorsal side of terga 1–7 predominantly black (Fig. 7G). cc Basal 0.30–0.35 of metafemur yellow white (Fig. 7H). dd Distal preapical metatibial spur not reaching apex of metatibia (Fig. 7H), inner apical metatibial spur about 0.4 × as long as metatarsomere 1 (Fig. 7J–K). USA (Kansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas) ………………… M. major (Cresson, 1880)
11(9) a Terga 1–7(–8) red brown, distal margins narrowly infuscate (Smith & Schiff 1998: fig. 3). b Metatarsomere 1 stout, 4 × as long as wide, pilosity dorsally and ventrally dense (Smith & Schiff 1998: fig. 15). USA (New York, Ohio) …………………………… M. alisonae D.R. Smith & Schiff, 1998
– aa Terga black, distal margins narrowly white. bb Metatarsomere 1 slender, 6–7 × as long as wide, pilosity dorsally sparse and ventrally dense (e.g., Smith & Schiff 1998: fig. 14) …………………………………………………………12
12(11) a Metatarsomeres (2–)3–5 white. b Ventral side of thorax and sterna red brown. c Alvula 2 less than 3.0 × as long as wide, 0.6 × as long as metatarsus (Smith & Schiff 1998: fig. 10). USA (Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania,Virginia,West Virginia)……………… ……………………………………………………………… M. bicoloripes (Rohwer, 1924)
– aa Metatarsus black. bb Ventral side of thorax and sterna black, sterna with white distal margins. cc Valvula 2 4.5 × as long as wide, about as long as metatarsus (Smith & Schiff 1998: fig. 11). Canada (Ontario), USA (Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, West Virginia) ………… …………………………………………………………………… M. tricolor (Norton, 1862)
description: Published as part of 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, pp. 1-46 in European Journal of Taxonomy 348 on pages 33-36, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.348, http://zenodo.org/record/1042663