There are 25 described species for South America, but up to now I could recognize only eigth, which I list below according to their most likely name. This, of course, indicates that most described species are, in fact, synonyms. The major problem here is locating the type species to make the adequate comparisons and define which species is synonym of which.
1. M. furcatus LePeletier & Serville, 1825
2. M. acutus LePeletier & Serville, 1825
3. M. maculipennis Westwood, 1851
4. M. niger Smith, 1864
5. M. andinus Schletterer, 1889
6. M. willineri (Orfila, 1949)
7. M. compressus sp. n.
8. Megischus sp. nov., from Brazil
Foenatopus
Two very distinct species (fig), but one of them [F. aurantiiceps Brues (top)] has two morphs, and I still could not decide whether they are distinct species or not.
Species in these two genera are usually represented by large specimens, which can be collected in Malaise traps (which is not the case for most Stephanidae). If you are using these traps anywhere between the Amazon and Mexico, please let me know!
This page last updated: March 18, 1999.
