Microchrysa Loew, 1855

Genus Microchrysa Loew, 1855 View in CoL View at ENA

Figs 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6

Chrysomyia Macquart, 1834: 262 View in CoL . Type species Musca polita Linnaeus, 1758 , by designation of Westwood (1840: 130). Suppressed by I.C.Z.N. (1987: 148).

Microchrysa Loew, 1855: 146 View in CoL . Type species Musca polita Linnaeus, 1758 , by original designation. See Woodley (2001: 202) for full synonymy.

Diagnosis. Small (length 5.0– 5.5 mm), partially metallic, sexually dimorphic species, usually with the females having a dark, metallic, concolorous thorax and abdomen, and the males having a pale yellowish abdomen, contrasting with the darker metallic thorax. Most similar to Cephalochrysa , but distinguished by the: smaller size; head more rounded in anterior view, about 0.75 times as high as wide; lower frons without distinct triangular callus; and wings with cell r 1 stained yellow and all four medial veins faint.

Remarks. Only two species are recorded from the Australian-Oceanian Region: M. bipars (Walker, 1861) [ holotype in BMNH, destroyed], from Indonesia ( Maluku), and M. flaviventris (Wiedemann, 1824) [ syntype in UZMC], from Belau, Guam, Indonesia ( Papua), Micronesia, New Caledonia, Northern Marianas, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and widespread in the eastern Palaearctic and Oriental regions, and recently introduced into the United States of America ( Woodley, 2001, 2009).

Distribution. Ranging from far northern Qld to the central coast of NSW, and northern NT (including Rimbija Island), new distribution record. See Remarks section of Microchrysa wrightae Lessard & Woodley , sp. nov.