Megaxyela major ( Cresson, 1880 )

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 : 24-25

Megaxyela major ( Cresson, 1880)

Fig. 7G–K

Xyela major Cresson, 1880: 34 (♀, type locality: USA, Texas).

Odontophyes ferruginea Bridwell, 1906: 94 (♀, type locality: USA, Kansas, Baldwin).

Megaxyela major – Ashmead in Dyar 1898a: 214 (combination). ― Smith & Schiff 1998: 638–639 (key), 644–648 (description, distribution, hosts, references; including data of M. langstoni ), figs 4, 7, 18–19, 33.

Odontophyes ferruginea – Ross 1932: 162 (synonymy with M. major ).

Type material

USA: ♀, lectotype of Xyela major (designated by Cresson 1916): “ Texas, (Belfrage)” ( Cresson 1880) (ANSP, Type No. 330), studied by Smith & Schiff (1998: 646). Cresson (1880) described the abdomen as “blackish-brown above”. He did not refer to the pterostigma but noted “nervures ferruginous” . Paralectotype ♂ (here studied): “Tex.”; “12.”; [blue:] “Para-Type 530.2”; “ Megaxyela major (Cresson) Det. D. Burdick ‘54”; “ DEI-GISHYM 30823 ”; ANSP. Fragments of fore legs glued to label, head glued to specimen, left antennal filament missing ( Fig. 7G–H ).

USA: ♀, holotype of Odontophyes ferruginea: [red:] “Type ♀ Odontophyes ferruginea J. C. Bridwell”; [red:] “ Odontophyes ferruginea Brid., ♀ TYPE ”; “Baldwin Kansas ”; “ Bridwell Apr. ”; [handwritten:] “ on Salix shrub willow ”; “ USNM Ent 00778020 ” (USNM). Good shape; left antenna missing beyond scape; right hind tarsus missing. The synonymy with M. major by Ross (1932) is here confirmed .

Additional material examined

USA: 1 ♀, Oklahoma, Pawnee County, Pawnee, 352736 East Hwy 64 , 36.292° N, 96.716° W, Malaise trap, 23 Apr.–3 May 2011, C. Apgar leg., DEI-GISHym 30767 (specimen used for barcoding) ( USNM) ; 1 ♀, same locality, Malaise trap, 9–23 Apr. 2016, C. Apgar leg., DEI-GISHym 30797 (specimen used for barcoding) (USNM) ; 1 ♀, Pennsylvania, Huntington , 3 Jun. 1934 (USNM) .

Supplementary description

Male

Synantennomere 3 3.7 mm, filament 0.7 mm, with 7 articles. Pulvilli present on metatarsomeres 1–4, on article 1 pulvillus 80 µm long, on article 4 120 µm ( Fig. 7J–K ). See key for additional characters.

Host plant

Supposedly pecan ( Carya illinoinensis) and possibly additional Carya species ( Ross 1936).

Remarks

See Megaxyela langstoni .

Figures

Fig. 7. A – F. Megaxyela langstoni Ross, 1936, ♀ (A – C = holotype, DEI-GISHym 30821, INHS; D – F = 30822, USNM). G – K. M. major (Cresson, 1880), ♂, paratype (30823, ANSP). A – B. ♀, holotype, habitus dorsal / lateroventral. C. ♀, holotype, head frontal. D – E. ♀, metatarsus, lateral / ventral. F. ♀, abdomen lateroventral. G – H. Habitus dorsal / lateroventral. I. Head frontal. J – K. Metatarsus lateral / ventral.