Megalyra lilliputiana (MEGALYRIDAE)
Workbook
In early December this year we were travelling in northern NSW … when I came upon this tiny wasp as she was investigating the holes and crevices in an old, timber fence post.
I don’t often collect insects when away from home, but this was an opportunity too good to pass up. I immediately recognised her as a Megalyra … and these wasps are so rare in collection that little is known about them (Shaw 1990). Reckoning that she may be of future value to researchers, I collected her and plan to lodge her with the Australian Museum. But only after I take a closer look, of course.
Quite by chance, I first became familiar with Megalyra just a few months ago after discovering two different species among our firewood stash of fallen sticks (see ‘Firewood & mystery wasps’). But this one was quite different … and the first female I’ve seen!
An unusually good match
Identification was straightforward, something of a pleasant surprise. Given the limited information available on this genus, I was not expecting such a close match, so quickly.
I’m confident that the wasp is Megalyra lilliputiana. According to Shaw (1990), this small species is readily distinguished by the combination of wing colour, femur colour, lack of a forewing costa, and small size. The summary table (matrix) on the hub page highlights the key features for all 22 described Megalyra species. There is also a copy of Shaw’s key.
Step 1: Species-group = minuta
Step 2: Species = lilliputiana
A few additional images
Megalyra lilliputiana: known, but not commonly seen
Megalyra lilliputiana was first described by Turner in 1916, based upon four females he collected in Kuranda (Far North Queensland) in 1913 (Turner 1916). Those specimens remain with the British Museum of Natural History. Shaw (1990) subsequently examined five females and a male from Australian museums, variously collected in north QLD (1927), Brisbane (1957, 1966), southern NSW (1952), and Victoria (1927, 1954), along with the original Kuranda types.
I have not found any live images of this species, and even specimen images are scarce. Indeed, the only readily available photo seems to be that included in Shaw’s paper (1990). Images and information about this little female from Bellingen are now shared via iNaturalist … https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/256241655
Bits & pieces
References (see also Megalyrid Hub page):
Shaw, S.R. 1990. A taxonomic revision of the long-tailed wasps of the genus Megalyra Westwood (Hymenoptera: Megalyridae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 3: 1005-1052
Turner, R.E. 1916. Two new species of the hymenopterous genus Megalyra Westwood. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 8 17: 246-247
This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use, but we are happy to share this information with others.