diff --git a/src/include/ranges/crange.h b/src/include/ranges/crange.h
index 5a9366e..b9c8166 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/crange.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/crange.h
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	virtual String stringMeta(SizeT pos) const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& type() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& metaType() const override final;
+	virtual String stype() const override final;
 	virtual RangePtr extend(const RangePtr& r) const override final;
 
 	/** return meta data at given position
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/mrange.cc.h b/src/include/ranges/mrange.cc.h
index f431b80..ebf8a5b 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/mrange.cc.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/mrange.cc.h
@@ -772,6 +772,12 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	return (this->begin()+pos).stringMeta();
     }
 
+    template <class... Ranges>
+    String MRange<Ranges...>::stype() const
+    {
+	return "M";
+    }
+
     template <class... Ranges>
     const TypeInfo& MRange<Ranges...>::type() const
     {
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/mrange.h b/src/include/ranges/mrange.h
index 32f2d7c..dfc3833 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/mrange.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/mrange.h
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	virtual SizeT size() const override final;
 	virtual SizeT dim() const override final;
 	virtual String stringMeta(SizeT pos) const override final;
+	virtual String stype() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& type() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& metaType() const override final;
 	virtual RangePtr extend(const RangePtr& r) const override final;
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/prange.cc.h b/src/include/ranges/prange.cc.h
index 20eb51c..f4ce85c 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/prange.cc.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/prange.cc.h
@@ -320,6 +320,12 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	return mRange->stringMeta( mParts[pos] );
     }
     
+    template <class RangeT>
+    String PRange<RangeT>::stype() const
+    {
+	return "P";
+    }
+
     template <class RangeT>
     const TypeInfo& PRange<RangeT>::type() const
     {
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/prange.h b/src/include/ranges/prange.h
index 619d84b..3e20815 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/prange.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/prange.h
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	virtual SizeT size() const override final;
 	virtual SizeT dim() const override final;
 	virtual String stringMeta(SizeT pos) const override final;
+	virtual String stype() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& type() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& metaType() const override final;
 	virtual RangePtr extend(const RangePtr& r) const override final;
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/range_base.h b/src/include/ranges/range_base.h
index 8019c63..fa58ddd 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/range_base.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/range_base.h
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	 */
 	virtual MArray<RangePtr> sub() const;
 
-	/** Range size */
+	/** Range size. */
 	virtual SizeT size() const = 0;
 
 	/** Range dimension.
@@ -128,42 +128,45 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	 */
 	virtual SizeT dim() const = 0;
 
-	/** Range type */
+	/** Range type. */
 	virtual const TypeInfo& type() const = 0;
 
-	/** The type of the range's meta data */
+	/** The type of the range's meta data. */
 	virtual const TypeInfo& metaType() const = 0;
 
+	/** String identifier indicating the range's type. */
+	virtual String stype() const = 0;
+	
 	/** Meta data in string format at lexicographic position pos.
-	    @param pos size type argument
+	    @param pos size type argument.
 	 */
         virtual String stringMeta(SizeT pos) const = 0;
 
 	/** Return DIndex iterating over the range's parameter space.
-	    @param pos index position, size type argument
+	    @param pos index position, size type argument.
 	 */
 	virtual DIndex index(SizeT pos = 0) const = 0;
 
 	/** Create extended range.
 	    Creates a new range consisting of the meta data spaces
-	    of this range and the range r
-	    @param r shared pointer to range used for extension
+	    of this range and the range r.
+	    @param r shared pointer to range used for extension.
 	 */
 	virtual RangePtr extend(const RangePtr& r) const = 0;
 
-	/** check if ranges are the same */
+	/** check if ranges are the same. */
 	bool operator==(const RangeBase& in) const;
 
-	/** check if ranges are not the same */
+	/** check if ranges are not the same. */
 	bool operator!=(const RangeBase& in) const;
 
-	/** return the range's uuid */
+	/** return the range's uuid. */
         Uuid id() const;
 
-	/** return a DIndex pointing to the range's first element */
+	/** return a DIndex pointing to the range's first element. */
 	DIndex begin() const;
 
-	/** return a DIndex pointing to the element after the range's last element */
+	/** return a DIndex pointing to the element after the range's last element. */
 	DIndex end() const;
 	
 	friend RangeFactoryBase;
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/srange.cc.h b/src/include/ranges/srange.cc.h
index 8a6a33f..04c5ff3 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/srange.cc.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/srange.cc.h
@@ -294,6 +294,12 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	return toString(mSpace[pos]);
     }
 
+    template <typename MetaType, SizeT S>
+    String SRange<MetaType,S>::stype() const
+    {
+	return "S";
+    }
+    
     template <typename MetaType, SizeT S>
     const TypeInfo& SRange<MetaType,S>::type() const 
     {
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/srange.h b/src/include/ranges/srange.h
index d03f502..2789f1d 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/srange.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/srange.h
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	virtual SizeT size() const override final;
 	virtual SizeT dim() const override final;
 	virtual String stringMeta(SizeT pos) const override final;
+	virtual String stype() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& type() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& metaType() const override final;
 	virtual RangePtr extend(const RangePtr& r) const override final;
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/urange.cc.h b/src/include/ranges/urange.cc.h
index 8c20c14..aa2f69f 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/urange.cc.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/urange.cc.h
@@ -326,6 +326,12 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	return toString(this->get(pos));
     }
     
+    template <typename MetaT>
+    String URange<MetaT>::stype() const
+    {
+	return "U";
+    }
+    
     template <typename MetaT>
     const TypeInfo& URange<MetaT>::type() const
     {
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/urange.h b/src/include/ranges/urange.h
index 8e3b825..db55795 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/urange.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/urange.h
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	virtual SizeT size() const override final;
 	virtual SizeT dim() const override final;
 	virtual String stringMeta(SizeT pos) const override final;
+	virtual String stype() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& type() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& metaType() const override final;
 	virtual RangePtr extend(const RangePtr& r) const override final;
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/wrange.cc.h b/src/include/ranges/wrange.cc.h
index f85da66..c14af69 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/wrange.cc.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/wrange.cc.h
@@ -356,6 +356,12 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	return toString(this->get(pos));
     }
     
+    template <typename MetaT>
+    String WRange<MetaT>::stype() const
+    {
+	return "W";
+    }
+    
     template <typename MetaT>
     const TypeInfo& WRange<MetaT>::type() const
     {
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/wrange.h b/src/include/ranges/wrange.h
index 363bfc5..e7d8b17 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/wrange.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/wrange.h
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	virtual SizeT size() const override final;
 	virtual SizeT dim() const override final;
 	virtual String stringMeta(SizeT pos) const override final;
+	virtual String stype() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& type() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& metaType() const override final;
 	virtual RangePtr extend(const RangePtr& r) const override final;
diff --git a/src/include/ranges/yrange.h b/src/include/ranges/yrange.h
index e85a2cf..53a62f6 100644
--- a/src/include/ranges/yrange.h
+++ b/src/include/ranges/yrange.h
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	virtual SizeT size() const override final;
 	virtual SizeT dim() const override final;
 	virtual String stringMeta(SizeT pos) const override final;
+	virtual String stype() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& type() const override final;
 	virtual const TypeInfo& metaType() const override final;
 	virtual RangePtr extend(const RangePtr& r) const override final;
diff --git a/src/lib/ranges/crange.cc b/src/lib/ranges/crange.cc
index c5123b6..da89ea9 100644
--- a/src/lib/ranges/crange.cc
+++ b/src/lib/ranges/crange.cc
@@ -225,6 +225,11 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	return toString(pos);
     }
 
+    String CRange::stype() const
+    {
+	return "C";
+    }
+
     const TypeInfo& CRange::type() const
     {
 	return typeid(CRange);
diff --git a/src/lib/ranges/yrange.cc b/src/lib/ranges/yrange.cc
index ff999cd..57ff714 100644
--- a/src/lib/ranges/yrange.cc
+++ b/src/lib/ranges/yrange.cc
@@ -628,6 +628,11 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	}
 	return out;
     }
+
+    String YRange::stype() const
+    {
+	return "Y";
+    }
     
     const TypeInfo& YRange::type() const
     {
diff --git a/src/opt/mpi/include/rrange.cc.h b/src/opt/mpi/include/rrange.cc.h
index bfa6d43..c5a27a4 100644
--- a/src/opt/mpi/include/rrange.cc.h
+++ b/src/opt/mpi/include/rrange.cc.h
@@ -605,6 +605,12 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	{
 	    return (this->begin()+pos).stringMeta();
 	}
+
+	template <class RangeI, class RangeK>
+	String RRange<RangeI,RangeK>::stype() const
+	{
+	    return "R";
+	}
 	
 	template <class RangeI, class RangeK>
 	const TypeInfo& RRange<RangeI,RangeK>::type() const
diff --git a/src/opt/mpi/include/rrange.h b/src/opt/mpi/include/rrange.h
index c596f8b..956b1b1 100644
--- a/src/opt/mpi/include/rrange.h
+++ b/src/opt/mpi/include/rrange.h
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ namespace CNORXZ
 	    virtual SizeT size() const override final;
 	    virtual SizeT dim() const override final;
 	    virtual String stringMeta(SizeT pos) const override final;
+	    virtual String stype() const override final;
 	    virtual const TypeInfo& type() const override final;
 	    virtual const TypeInfo& metaType() const override final;
 	    virtual RangePtr extend(const RangePtr& r) const override final;