Austalis

Austalis
Austalis pulchella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Subfamily: Eristalinae
Tribe: Eristalini
Subtribe: Eristalina
Genus: Austalis
Thompson & Vockeroth, 2003
Type species
Eristalis resolutus
Walker, 1858

Austalis is a genus of hoverflies, from the family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera.

Formerly members of this genus were considered part of Eristalis though as rather a distinct group. They are very similar to Eristalinus, but Austalis is defined by having a postalar pile tuft but lacking the pile on posterior portions of the anepimeron and lacking the patterning on the eyes typical of Eristalinus. They also share a distinct metallic colouring. Little is known of their life histories but the adults have been recorded feeding at Eucalyptus flowers.

Systematics

List created by Thompson (2003) in defining the new genus.

A further dozen species are known from the Oriental and Australasian regions but await formal description.

References

  1. 1 2 Thompson, F. Christian (2003). "Austalis, a new genus of flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) with revisionary notes on related genera" (pdf Adobe/Acobat). Zootaxa. 246. New Zealand: Magnolia Press: 1–19. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.246.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334. Retrieved 2011-01-28.