| Austalis | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Austalis pulchella | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| 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. [1]
List created by Thompson (2003) in defining the new genus. [1]
A further dozen species are known from the Oriental and Australasian regions but await formal description.