Meria ILLIGER 1807

Boni, M., 2008, Contribution to the knowledge of the Palaearctic Meriini (Hymenoptera, Tiphiidae, Myzininae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (2), pp. 1367-1397 : 1368-1369

Meria ILLIGER 1807

This is the Old World genus with greatest distribution range. The taxa belonging to Palaearctic Region, including these here described for the first time, are the following: Europe:

M. tripunctata (&), M. cylindrica (FABRICIUS 1793) (&), M. volvulus

(FABRICIUS 1798) (&), M. dorsalis (FABRICIUS 1804) (&), M. nitidula KLUG

1810 (&), M. geniculata (&), M. aurantiaca (&), M. lineata (&),

M. latifasciata (PALMA 1869) (), M. anatolica BONI BARTALUCCI 2004 ()........ 10 species

N-Africa:

M. tripunctata (&), M. cylindrica (&), M. volvulus (&), M. lineata

(), M. latifasciata (), M. cephalotes BONI BARTALUCCI 1997 (&), M.

iucunda nov.sp. (&), M. concinna nov.sp. (&), M. diplochora nov.sp. (

&) .................................................................................................................... 9 species SW-Asia:

M. aurantiaca (&), M. arabica (&), M. sabae Boni BARTALUCCI 2001 (&

), M. diplochora nov.sp. (&), M. elamita nov.sp. (&)....................... 5 species Central Asia:

M. dorsalis (&), M. nitidula (&), M. geniculata (&), M. aurantiaca (

&), M. ashabadensis (&), M. caspica RADOSZKOWSKI 1887 (&), M.

sanguinicollis MORAWITZ 1890 (&), M. quadrimaculata CAMERON 1902 (), M.

discussa GUIGLIA 1966 (&), M. flava GORBATOVSKY 1981 (♂), M. aprica GORBATOVSKY 1981 (♀ & ♂), M. morawitzi GORBATOVSKY 1981 (&), M.

gussakovskyi GORBATOVSKY 1981 (&), M. oriarcha (&), nov.sp., M.

origena () nov.sp. ............................................................................................. 15 species

Total number of palaearctic species: 28 species.

Only M. diplochora appears to have a border line distribution range with Afrotropical Region, dwelling northern Sahel (besides southern Arabian peninsula). The Palaearctic females show a remarkable uniformity in the punctuation (p) and hair compared to M. tripunctata.