Taxonomy
Family: Calliphoridae
Subfamily: Calliphorinae
Genus: Calliphora Robineau-Desvoidy 1830
Subgenus: Paracalliphora Townsend 1916
Species: varifrons Malloch 1932
The immature stages are unknown.
Biology
Calliphora
varifrons is an ovoviviparous species
that breeds readily in carrion. It probably
inhabits a niche similar to its
eastern analogue, Calliphora hilli hilli.
Monzu (1977) reported C. varifrons ovipositing on
a wallaby carcass soon after death, with larvae
leaving the carcass after 4 to 6 days. Early carcass
colonisation by C.
varifrons minimises resource competition from other species, such as Caliphora
albifrontalis, which typically colonise a carcass when
C. varifrons
larvae are finished feeding and are pupating (Monzu
1977).
Distribution
Calliphora
varifrons is distributed throughout
south-western Australia, only being recorded from
the state of Western Australia.
Relevant Literature
Monzu,
N. (1977) Coexistence
of carrion-breeding
Calliphoridae (Diptera) in Western
Australia. PhD Thesis, University of Western Australia.