Megaselia rufipes (Meigen, 1804)

DISNEY, R. H. L., 2003, Tasmanian Phoridae (Diptera) and some additional Australasian species, Journal of Natural History 37 (5), pp. 505-639 : 580-581

Megaselia rufipes (Meigen, 1804)

(figures 37–40)

Trineura rufipes Meigen, 1804: 313 .

Trineura annulata Meigen, 1804: 314 .

Phora pallipes Latreille, 1809: 34 .

Trineura vulgaris Fallén, 1823: 6 .

Phora heeracleellae Bouché, 1834: 102 .

Phora sphigicides Bouché, 1834: 101 .

Phora semiflava Hartig, 1837: 305 .

Phora coleoptorum Brischke, 1868: 5 .

Phora omnivora Hudson, 1892: 199 .

Lioyella juanfernandezica Enderlein, 1938: 661 .

This species is now almost cosmopolitan through the agency of man. It is undoubtedly an introduced species in Tasmania. Borgmeier (1967b) evidently omitted this species from his keys in error; as he was aware of it being recorded from New Zealand in the 19th century, under its synonym Phora omnivora (see Borgmeier, 1968). The larvae (figures 39–40) are polyphagous saprophages (e.g. Disney, 1994b). The male is unlikely to be confused with any other Tasmanian species. The combination of only two bristles on the notopleuron, a bare mesopleuron, a costal index close to 0.5 and costal cilia exceeding 0.15 mm in length, will distinguish the females from all known native species.

Material

Male, Tasmania, Hobart, Sandy Bay , Acushla Court , at window, 23 September 1998 ( R. H. L. Disney —25-29) .