Cephalochrysa Kertész, 1912

Lessard, Bryan D., Yeates, David K. & Woodley, Norman E., 2020, Review of Australian Sarginae Soldier Fly Genera (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), with First Records of Cephalochrysa, Formosargus and Microchrysa, Records of the Australian Museum 72 (2), pp. 23-43 : 27

Genus Cephalochrysa Kertész, 1912

Fig. 3

Cephalochrysa Kertész, 1912: 99 . Type species Sargus hovas Bigot, 1859 , by original designation. See Woodley (2001: 186) for full synonymy.

Diagnosis. Moderately sized (length 7 mm), metallic purplish blue flies, with the occiput well-developed dorsally in females, and ocelli in the form of an equilateral triangle. Regarding the Australian fauna, it is most similar to Microchrysa , but can be distinguished by the: larger size; head dorsoventrally compressed in anterior view, about 0.6 times as high as wide; lower frons with a distinct triangular callus diverging ventrally towards base of antennae; basal complex of antennal flagellum somewhat large; and more strongly developed veins M 2, M 3, and M 4.

Distribution. Bathurst Island, NT, new distribution ( Fig. 2 ).

Remarks. Sargus gselli Hill, 1919 is congeneric with Cephalochrysa , sharing the following: head being much wider than high, ocelli forming an equilateral triangle and occiput without a posteriorly projecting fringe of hair-like setae. The general appearance of S. gselli is extremely similar to other species of Cephalochrysa known from Pacific islands, as well as the type species. Therefore, we transfer this species from its previous position in Sargus to become Cephalochrysa gselli ( Hill, 1919) comb. nov., the first record of Cephalochrysa from Australia.

Catalogue of Australian species

Genus Cephalochrysa Kertész, 1912

gselli ( Hill, 1919) comb. nov. NT.

Sargus gselli Hill, 1919: 459 . HT ♀ [SAMA 29- 003393; missing right wing; Fig. 3 ]: NT, Bathurst Island. The whereabouts of this specimen was previously unknown ( Woodley, 2001: 224).

Figures

Figure 2. Distribution of the Sarginae from Australia, including the first records of Formosargus James, 1939 and Microchrysa Loew, 1855.ACT, Australian Capital Territory; NSW, New South Wales; NT, Northern Territory; Qld, Queensland; SA, South Australia; Tas, Tasmania; Vic, Victoria; WA, Western Australia.

Figure 3. Cephalochrysa gselli (Hill, 1919) comb. nov., holotype ♀ (SAMA 29-003393): (a) dorsum; (b) lateral; (c) head, frontal; (d) head, anterolateral.