Notes on the genera Physetopoda and Smicromyrme from the Mediterranean area (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae)

Abstract

The genera Physetopoda Shuster, 1949 and Smicromyrme Thomson, 1970 are the most common and widespread representatives of Smicromyrmini in the Mediterranean area. After Lelej’s (2002) catalogue of the Palaeartic Mutillidae, the main works for the identification and taxonomy of these two genera were mostly fragmented and limited to Russia and Central Asia (Lelej, 2003), Oriental region (Lelej, 2005) part of Arabia (Lelej & Van Harten, 2006), and Europe (Pagliano & Strumia, 2007). Northern African species are still in need of revision, whereas the largest study on Afrotropical Smicromyrmini (Bischoff, 1920-1921) is obsolete and outdated. Over 110 species of Afrotropical species were listed in the genus Smicromyrme, because the genus Physetopoda was not yet described; howewer the genus occurs in numbers (unpubl. data). In this study I examine the Mediterranean males of Physetopoda and Smicromyrme providing identification and short notes for each species.

Keywords

• Mutillidae
• Smicromyrmini
• Physetopoda
• Smicromyrme
• dichotomic keys
• Mediterranean area

Supporting Agencies

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Data Availability Statement

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