5 o R. W. CROSSKEY 



SUBFAMILY TACHININAE WITH KEYS TO THE TRIBES AND GENERA 



This subfamily is to some extent an artificial assemblage of forms that cannot 

 readily be fitted into the other, more discretely defined, subfamilies. Some authors 

 split the group into two or more subfamilies, but as these have not yet been very 

 satisfactorily delimited on a world basis it is considered best for present purposes 

 to recognize the Tachininae in a broad sense. As used here the subfamily equates 

 almost exactly with the concept referred to as the Macquartiinae by van Emden 

 (i960) in his treatment of the Ethiopian Tachinidae (the nomenclature difference 

 arises from the fact that van Emden applied the name Tachina Meigen to the 

 genus that should correctly be known as Exorista Meigen and used the name 

 Echinomya Latreille for the genus that should correctly be called Tachina). The 

 usage van Emden adopted has long bedevilled the nomenclature of the Tachinidae 

 and is only now being gradually dropped as the correct usage under the rules of 

 nomenclature becomes gradually established. The subfamily here considered is 

 the one containing the true genus Tachina Meigen, type-genus of the Tachinidae, 

 and Tachininae is the correct name applying to it; the names Echinomyiinae, 

 Macquartiinae and Voriinae are synonyms. 



The diverse nature and probable polyphyletic origin of the forms included in 

 the Tachininae make it difficult to define the subfamily at all precisely; to some 

 extent it has to be defined by the non-possession of several of the features found 

 in the other subfamilies. There is no single characteristic or any combination 

 of a few features that will absolutely serve to place any particular genus within 

 the Tachininae, but the following list shows the main characteristics that help 

 towards a definition of the subfamily on external adult characters. 



Head without a facial carina separating the antennae (at most with a weakly raised median 

 facial ridge or with a convexity on the upper face below the antennal insertions) ; frontal setae 

 rows descending to the level of the first antennal segment or below; reclinate orbital setae 

 usually present (not in forms with strongly approximated eyes and reduced frons) ; inner 

 vertical setae often convergent or crossing; uppermost eye facets of £ sometimes enlarged; 

 vibrissae nearly always well developed; arista pubescent or plumose; thoracic and abdominal 

 chaetotaxy often fine or reduced; prosternum usually bare; prosternal membrane bare (very 

 rare exceptions) ; humeral callus with two or more setae normally distinguishable ; usually 

 at least three post dc setae ; two or three post ia setae (less in some rare aberrant forms) ; 

 pre-alar seta almost always weaker than first post dc seta, sometimes absent; normally at 

 least two distinguishable sa setae (one only in Palpostomatini) ; postalar callus with two setae 

 (very rarely three or only one) ; scutellum normally with at least two pairs of marginal setae 

 (one pair only in some Minthoini) ; sternopleural setae two or three (rarely less, very rarely 

 more than three); infrasquamal hairs present or absent; fore coxa sometimes haired on its 

 entire anterior surface; mid tibia with a ventral submedian seta (occasionally undeveloped 

 or minute); hind tibia with or without a pv apical seta; abdomen with Ti -\- 2 excavate or 

 not excavate to its hind margin; sternites of abdomen concealed or exposed; $ hypopygium 

 and ^ postabdomen of varied form. 



Key to Australian Tribes of TACHININAE 



1 Ocelli absent. Prosternal region greatly inflated, visible in profile. <$ head 

 holoptic and with the uppermost eye facets enlarged and conspicuously bigger 

 than lowermost facets. Vibrissae absent .... ORMIINI (p. 57) 



— Ocelli present. Prosternal region normal, no trace of inflation. $ head not 



