TACHINIDAE OF AUSTRALIA 



79 



to Neaerini. (The only noteworthy difference between Voriella and Tongamyia 

 lies in the vestiture of the hind coxa, as indicated in the key that follows.) 



Voriella and its allies have the following main features in common. <§ without proclinate 

 orbital setae and with such fine straight reclinate orbital setae that they appear to form a 

 continuous row with the frontal setae; $ with one pair of reclinate orbital setae (sometimes 

 slightly twisted outwards); vibrissae level with epistomal margin; frontal setae descending 

 far down on the parafacials (sometimes to a level below the mid-point) and in $ the rows 

 irregularly duplicated at the lower ends ; upper occiput with some black setulae behind postocular 

 row; normally 2 + 3 dc setae (3 + 3 occurring, perhaps aberrantly); 1 + 3 ia setae; 2 stpl 

 setae; scutellum with only two pairs of strong setae, the basals and subapicals, the latter 

 meeting or crossing at their tips; propleuron haired; infrasquamal hairs absent; mid tibia with 

 a submedian v seta; mid tibia with one or two ad setae; hind tibia without pd preapical seta 

 and with or without a very small pv apical seta; second costal sector haired ventrally; costal 

 spine long; distance on vein M from bend to m-cu as great, or nearly so, as that from m-cu to 

 r-m (Text-fig. 86) ; costa of g often with long fine ventromarginal hair on basal part; basal node 

 of i? 4+s most often with only one strong setula above and below, sometimes with a hair tuft; 

 abdomen with Ti + 2 not excavate to hind margin and with very strong erect discal setae on 

 T3-T5. 



In addition to the type-species, Malloch described two other Australian species 

 (viz. inconspicua and armiceps) that he placed in Voriella; neither correctly belongs 

 in the genus or in the Neaerini. 



An undescribed species with haired parafacials has been seen from South Australia, 

 and another with the characters of Tongamyia but with 3 + 3 dc setae has been 

 seen from New South Wales. Both differ slightly from either Voriella or Tongamyia 

 and their generic placement is uncertain at present. They have been placed, 

 however, in the following key so that the differential features can be seen easily. 

 There are evidently more forms yet to be discovered in Australia in this interesting 

 and little-known complex. Probably when studied sufficiently it will be concluded 

 that all should be treated as congeneric, and the definition of Voriella widened 

 accordingly. 



The BMNH collection contains an undescribed species of Neaerini from Queensland 

 that differs from all the other Australian Neaerini so far known by having the wing 

 cell R h exceedingly long-petiolate. This species is very small (length only about 

 2*5 mm) but differs from Tongamyia only by the petiolate cell R 5 . The species 

 will either require a new genus (if the long petiole is considered a sufficient generic 

 character) or will have to be placed in Tongamyia with the necessary widening of 

 the definition of the latter. 



The affinities of the Neaerini appear to lie with the Siphonini, a tribe which 

 Herting (personal communication) considers should be assigned to the Tachininae. 

 Future work may well demonstrate that the neaerines also should be placed in 

 the Tachininae, and possibly also that the tribe should be merged with the 

 Eloceriini (=Helocerini of authors). In the latter event the correct tribal name 

 would be Eloceriini. 



Key to Australian Genera of NEAERINI 



1 Wing with cell R b closed far before the wing margin, the petiole very long (longer than 



either the second costal sector or Mj) [Queensland] . . Undescribed sp., ? gen. n. 



