Taxonomy
Subfamily: Sarcophaginae
Genus: Sarcophaga Meigen
1826
Subgenus: Australopierretia
Verves 1987
Species: australis Johnston & Tiegs 1921 (Helicobia)
Biology
Sarcophaga australis was reared from decaying meat by Johnston and Tiegs (1921), and has been documented in association with grasshoppers and sea turtle eggs (Fuller, 1938; Hall and Parmenter, 2008). Sarcophaga australis has also been collected at decayed carrion-baits by KAM. This species is the only Australian representative of the subgenus Australopierretia.
Distribution
AUSTRALASIAN/OCEANIAN – (Australia – Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia).
Relevant Literature
Fuller, M.E. (1938) On the biology and early stages of Helicobia australis (Sarcophaginae), a dipterous insect associated with grasshoppers. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 63, 133-138.
Hall,
S.C.B., and Parmenter, C.J. (2008) Necrotic egg and
hatchling remains are key factors attracting dipterans to
sea turtle (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas,
Natator depressus) nests in central Queensland,
Australia. Copeia 1, 75-81.
Johnston, T.H., and
Tiegs, O.W. (1921) New and little-known sarcophagid flies
from south-eastern Queensland. Proceedings of the Royal
Society of Queensland 33, 46-90.