Cryptalyra (Hymenoptera, Megalyridae) from M aranhão, Brazil: Three new species discovered after a large collecting effort

Abstract

Cryptalyra is a small genus of megalyrid wasps with three described species confned to South America. Our main goal in this work is to record an increase in the known diversity, adding the three new species Cryptalyra helenae sp. n., C. ichiroi sp. n. and C. limeirai sp. n., from a single locality in Maranhão, Brazil that has been subjected to extraordinary collecting efort. We are providing a key for the species of the genus, as well as illustrations of the main structures for recognition of the new taxa.