Stäl (1873) erected the genus Machaeridia to include a new species bilineata, described from a single female. Since then four other species have been added to the genus, conspersa I. Bolivar, 1889, coerulan.s- Karny, 1907, congonica Sjöstedt, 1931 and fragilis Sjöstedt, 1931. Bolivar (1908) erected the genus Wilverthia to include a new species acuminata, also described from a single female. Two species have since been added to this genus, lundgreni Sjöstedt, 1931 and ugandana Uvarov, 1938; the former has since been synonymised by Uvarov (1953) with acuminata. Dirsh (1961) synonymised Wilverthia with Machaeridia, con sidering that the differences between the two type species acuminata and bilineata were variable and not of generic value. The present author has examined all the available types (the types of coerulans Karny and conspersa I. Bolivar are missing, believed lost) and about seven hundred specimens and agrees with published synonymy. Furthermore coerulans, con gonica and fragilis are here synonymised with bilineata, and acuminata and ugandana with conspersa. The genus Machaeridia now includes only two species, bilineata and conspersa, and is redescribed and discussed below.

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