Microchrysa Loew, 1855

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 : 30

Genus Microchrysa Loew, 1855

Figs 5 , 6

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

Microchrysa Loew, 1855: 146 . 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.

Figures

Figure 5. Microchrysa wrightae Lessard & Woodley, sp. nov. holotype ♂ (ANIC 29-037422): (a) dorsum; (b) lateral; (c) head, frontal; (d) head, anterolateral;paratype ♂ (ANIC 29-037462):(e) genital capsule and phallic complex, dorsal;(f) genital capsule and phallic complex, ventral, and; (g) epandrium, proctiger and cerci, dorsal. Abbreviations: c, cercus; ep, epandrium; gc, gonocoxite; gs, gonostylus; pr, proctiger.

Figure 6. Microchrysa wrightae Lessard & Woodley, sp. nov. paratype ♀ (ANIC 29-037423): (a) dorsum; (b) lateral; (c) head, frontal; (d) head, anterolateral.