Musca domestica Linnaeus

Couri, Marcia S., Pont, Adrian C. & Daugeron, Christophe, 2010, The Muscidae (Diptera) of Vanuatu, Zootaxa 2556 (1), pp. 1-39 : 11

6. Musca domestica Linnaeus , new record

Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758: 596 . Syntypes?sex, “in Europae domibus, etiam America” [Europe and America], not located, not in LSL (see Pont 1981: 168).

Musca flavifacies Bigot, 1888: 606 . Holotype female, New Caledonia, BMNH (type seen by Pont 2000: 13–14)

Diagnosis. Proepisternal depression with fine hairs; male eyes developed but not touching in middle; frontoorbital plate silvery in male and densely golden in female; male abdominal syntergite 1+2 yellow, at most with a brown median vitta. Male hypopygium as in Figs 25, 30 and 35; male aedeagus with a small postgonite (Fig. 40), praegonite with 1 seta; epiphallus well developed and weakly clubbed at tip (Fig. 45); female ovipositor long as in Figs 59 and 60 (all Figs in Pont 1973a).

Material examined. BMNH: Vanuatu: Banks: Santa Maria, Gaua, Nombur , 13.xi.1922, 1 ♂, T.T. Barnard; Vanua Lava , x.1929, 1 ♂, L.E. Cheesman . Malekula: Atchin , vii.1929, 1 ♀, L.E. Cheesman; NE, v.1929, 1 ♂, L.E. Cheesman .

BPBM: Vanuatu: Éfaté: SW, Port Vila, 10–20 m, 12.viii.1957, ex human excrement (day old), 1 ♂, J.L. Gressitt; Onesua , 0–20 m, 19.i.1973, 1 ♀, N.L.H. Krauss . Malekula: Lakatoro , 23.ix–19.x.1967, 1 ♀, J. & M. Sedlacek; N. Lakatoro, 22–30.ix.1967, 7 ♀, J. & M. Sedlacek; Lamap, 19–21.ix.1967, 1 ♀, J. & M. Sedlacek . Pentecost: 24.iii.1964, 2 ♀; 26.iii.1964, 1 ♀, R. Straatman .

Comments. The common house fly, this is a widespread and common species, here recorded for the first time from Vanuatu. Pont (1973a) redescribed the species, and Pont (2000) reviewed the holotype of flavifacies .

Distribution. Cosmopolitan.