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).