Lateral view

Male frons width (blue arrow) in respect to anterior ocellus (red arrow) in Calliphora albifrontalis (upper) and Calliphora stygia (bottom)

Australian distribution

Taxonomy

Family: Calliphoridae

Subfamily: Calliphorinae

Genus: Calliphora Robineau-Desvoidy 1830

Subgenus: Neocalliphora Brauer & Bergenstamm 1891

Species: nigrithorax (Malloch 1927)

 

The immature stages are unknown.

Biology

The biology and ecology of this species is poorly known. It seems to prefer cool, moist localities, such as fern gullies, and is a relatively large species (reaching 10-12mm in length). It is uncommon in Victoria, and is seen mainly in cooler months. The species is seldom observed during summer, where it is usually found in cool areas (Archer 2002). Also, females are faculatively ovoviviparous (Meier et al. 1999), with oviposition occurring at temperatures as low as 13°C, and adults remaining active at 11°C (Archer 2002).

It is the sister species of Calliphora ochracea, and can be distinguished mainly by its dark mesonotum (C. ochracea has a lighter mesonotum, with a yellowish appearance). These two species are probably similar to the ancestor of modern day Calliphora species (Kurahashi 1971). The dense yellow hairs on the eye facets, large thoracic spiracles and unicolourous abdomen are probable characteristics shared by C. nigrithorax and the ancestral species (Wallman 1993). Male C. nigrithorax can be readily distinguished by the minimum frons width being greater than the width of the anterior ocellus, whereas in male C. ochracea the minimum frons width is less than the width of the anterior ocellus. See the similar example of Calliphora albifrontalis and Calliphora stygia in the picture. Male frons width in C. nigrithorax is similar to C. albifrontalis, whereas frons width of C. stygia is similar to C. ochracea.

Distribution

Calliphora nigrithorax is a south-east Australian species. It has been recorded from the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

Relevant Literature

Archer, M.S. (2002) The ecology of invertebrate associations with vertebrate carrion in Victoria, with reference to forensic entomology. PhD, University of Melbourne.

Dear, J.P. (1985) Calliphoridae (Insecta, Diptera). Fauna of New Zealand 8, 86.

Hardy, G.H. (1926) Notes on Australian flies of the genus Calliphora. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 37, 168-173.

Kurahashi, H. (1971) The tribe Calliphorini from Australian and Oriental regions. II. Calliphora-group (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Pacific Insects 13, 141-204.

Wallman, J.F. (1993) First South Australian record of the carrion-breeding blowfly Calliphora nigrithorax Malloch (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 117, 193.