Big and beautiful: the Megaxyela species (Hymenoptera, Xyelidae) of East Asia and North America Author Stephan M. Blank Author Katja Kramp Author David R. Smith Author Yuri N. Sundukov Author Meicai Wei Author Akihiko Shinohara text European Journal of Taxonomy 2017 2017-09-05 348 1 46 journal article 31611 10.5852/ejt.2017.348 e6b25548-6721-4e1e-a68e-663c949b3306 2118-9773 1042663 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:56D8BC29-3C29-4EE8-8633-B997784CA00A 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) .