A review of Australian Nemestrinidae (Diptera)

Abstract

The author has revised all material used by Mr. G. H. Hardy in 1924 and Dr. I. M. Mackerras in 1925 for their reviews of the Nemestrinidae as well as that accumulated during the last 25 years in the more important museum collections throughout Australia. One species of Atriadops from Aru I., as well as two species of Exeretoneura, one species of Nycterimyia, and 13 species of Trichophthalma from Australia, are described as new. Additional descriptions and notes on the types of known species, as well as new locality records, have also been added. A comprehensive key for the identification of both males and females of all species of Trichophthalma has been constructed. Previously, on the data available, it has only been possible to identify the male sex of many of the species with certainty. The most important Australian genus, Trichophthalma, is represented by 45 species, while the Australian nemestrinid fauna now includes a total of 58 species.