74 R. W: CROSSKEY 
Tribe TACHININI 
In Australia the Tachinini are represented mainly by the endemic genus 
Mucrotropesa, which is readily distinguished from other tachinine (except Paratropeza 
Paramonov) genera by the possession of long dense hair on the pleurotergite (the 
supraspiracular convexity just dorsal to the hind thoracic spiracle). This genus 
includes several distinctive species with patterned abdomen and smoky brown 
and yellow wings, but also some species of more humdrum appearance. The only 
two other genera known in Australia are non-endemic, Cuphocera occurring very 
widely throughout the Old World and Ervistaliomyia in the south-east Asian 
archipelago, Malaya and New Guinea (the latter genus is probably confined in 
Australia to the Northern Territory and Queensland); Evistaliomyia, it should be 
noted, is very closely allied to the genus Servillia Robineau-Desvoidy (which is 
abundantly represented throughout the Oriental Region) and perhaps ought not 
to be recognized as a valid genus. In general, the tachinine fauna of Australia is 
rather impoverished, in contrast to that of the Palaearctic and Oriental Regions 
where it is so richly developed. 
The genera represented in Australia have the following features in common that aid in 
tribal recognition. Parafacials covered with long fine hair; second antennal segment unusually 
elongate (and the third not or hardly longer than the second); vibrissae inserted far above 
epistomal margin; eyes bare; epistome very strongly projecting; prosternum bare; 4 + 4 de 
setae (Text-fig. 62) (sometimes with additional dc); scutellum often with erect spiniform setae 
or setulae just before the apex; no infrasquamal hairs; mid tibia with many ad setae and with 
a v seta; hind tibia with a strong pu apical seta; hind coxa haired on the posterodorsal surface; 
basal node of R,,; with only a few weak hairs, veins otherwise bare; second costal sector bare 
below; cell R,; open; strong pteropleural seta (often doubled); abdomen with T1 + 2 excavate 
to hind margin; abdominal sternites exposed and bearing stiff, often spiniform, setae; bend 
of vein M abrupt and with a weak fold extending at least slightly from the bend towards the 
wing margin. 
KEY TO AUSTRALIAN GENERA OF TACHININI 
1 Parafacials without strong setae in addition to the hair. Propleuron haired. 
I+272asetae. Palpi well developed (though sometimes very acy 3 without 
proclinate orbital setae . ‘ 2 
— Parafacial armed with two or three strong setae (standing on lower end near the ea 
I + 3 72asetae. Palpi vestigial. @ with or without proclinate orbital setae 
CUPHOCERA Macquart 
2 Convexity above posterior thoracic spiracle (pleurotergite) bare. Three strong 
supra-alar setae. One sternopleural seta [o + 1 stpl in specimens seen, possibly not 
constant]. Parafrontals shining black. Forms with bee-like facies and unusually 
short wings . ; 2 : ERISTALIOMYIA Townsend 
— Convexity above posterior thoracic spizacle (pleurotergite) with dense vestiture of 
long hair. Two or three sternopleural setae. Parafrontals yellow to dark reddish 
orange. Forms without such facies and with wings not unusually short in relation 
to body size . ‘ 3 . : ‘ ‘ , MICROTROPESA Macquatt 
SUBFAMILY GONIINAE WITH KEYS TO THE TRIBES AND GENERA 
This enormous subfamily includes the forms commonly thought of as the ‘higher 
Tachinidae’, and many of them have the pre-alar seta very large; this character 

