TACHINIDAE OF ORIENTAL REGION 79 



the hosts for the Microphthalmini, and the western Palaearctic tachinid Microphthalma 

 europaea Egger has recently been introduced into New Zealand for the attempted 

 control of the pasture pest beetle Heteronychus arator F. (so far unsuccessfully) : 

 the same species of Microphthalma is currently being cultured in New Caledonia 

 for control of scarabaeid pests in the French-administered Pacific islands (Cochereau, 

 1970). Hurpin & Fresneau (1964) discuss the biology of M. europaea. There 

 are no host records yet available for Microphthalmini in the Oriental Region. 



Key to Oriental Genera and Species of MICROPHTHALMINI 



Three post dc setae. $ with a pair of very strong outwardly directed prevertical setae. 

 Prst ia seta absent. Three or two stpl setae (usually three) . Pra seta absent. A cr 

 setae incomplete, at most 2 + 2 acr, sometimes one or none presuturally and some- 

 times one postsuturally. Parafacial hair pale yellow or whitish, inconspicuous, 

 cj postabdomen with some long strong hairs or long fine setae on T7 4 8 intermixed 

 with short fine hairing. Antennae moderately long, third segment as long as 

 parafacial width or longer. Femora reddish yellow . DEXIOSOMA Rondani 2 



Four post dc setae. $ without prevertical setae. Prst ia seta present (sometimes 

 weak). Two stpl setae (aberrantly three). Pra seta usually present (but very 

 small). Acr setae complete, 3 -f- 3(4). Parafacial hair blackish or mainly so, con- 

 spicuous, o" postabdomen with fine close uniform hairing on T7 4 8 (no inter- 

 spersed strong hairs or setae). Antennae short, third segment usually not as long 

 as parafacial width. Femora dark brown or blackish (at most pale at extreme 

 apices) MICROPHTHALMA Macquart 5 



Three post ia setae, o* frons moderately to very wide, vertex 0-26-0-35 of head-width ; 

 narrowest point of interfrontal area at least twice as wide as third antennal segment, 

 o* with outer vertical setae (sometimes very small but clearly differentiated). 

 Abdomen with irregular chequered appearance, the pattern shifting with direction 

 of the light, sometimes also with broad dark hind-margins to intermediate tergites . 3 



Two post ia setae [few specimens known, possibly not constant], o* frons narrow, 

 vertex about one-fifth (0-19) of head-width; narrowest point of interfrontal area 

 less than twice as wide as third antennal segment. <J without outer vertical setae. 

 Abdomen with a fixed pattern of an elongate bronze-brown median triangle on 

 each intermediate tergite (T3 and T4), the triangles jointly forming a serrate 

 median vitta that does not change much in appearance with direction of the light 

 [o* ; ? not seen] ......... D. lineatum Mesnil 



Depth of gena approximately half (0-48-0-57) of eye-height seen in profile. <$ without 

 proclinate orbital setae. £ frons moderately wide, vertex 0-26-0-29 of head-width. 

 Total width of arista and its hairing equal to or greater than width of third antennal 

 segment (except in undetermined specimens from Java). Upper half of occiput 

 not noticeably swollen .......... 4 



Depth of gena approximately three-quarters (0-70-0-83) of eye-height seen in profile. 

 cJ with proclinate orbital setae, <J frons exceptionally wide, vertex about one-third 

 (0-31-0-35) of head-width and therefore about equal in width to one eye when seen 

 from above. Total width of arista and its hairing less than width of third antennal 

 segment (the unusually short close hairing giving the impression of a thickened 

 arista). Upper half of occiput slightly but distinctly swollen . D. aristatum Mesnil 



Antennae unicolorous orange or yellow-orange, o* interfrontal area at its narrowest 

 point about 2-0-2-5 times as wide as a parafrontal. Vertex of <$ about 0-26-0-27 

 of head-width. Arista and its hairing about as wide as third antennal segment. 

 Abdomen usually with pale yellow pollinosity . D. sumatrense Townsend 



