Pygophora hopkinsi Malloch, 1929

Couri, Marcia S., Pont, Adrian C. & Daugeron, Christophe, 2010, The Muscidae (Diptera) of Vanuatu, Zootaxa 2556 (1), pp. 1-39 : 31

34. Pygophora hopkinsi Malloch

Pygophora hopkinsi Malloch, 1929a: 161 . Holotype male, Pago Pago, Tuitila, American Samoa, in BMNH ( Crosskey 1962: 454).

Pygophora hopkinsi ; Crosskey, 1962: 454; Pont, 1989: 698.

Diagnosis. Small species; face and fronto-orbital plate yellow pollinose; antenna long, with postpedicel about 4.0 times as long as pedicel; palpus yellow; female legs blackish-brown, with yellow knees; male legs entirely yellow, with mid and hind coxae reddish or brown; male with abdomen compressed laterally; sternite 5 produced dorsally into a prominent keel and with long and flattened setae; lateral lobe of sternite 5 as in Fig. 108 and hypopygium as in Fig. 90 of Crosskey (1962).

Material examined. BMNH: Vanuatu: Malekula: Atchin Island , vii.1929, 1 ♂, L.E. Cheesman (recorded by Crosskey 1962: 457). Tanna: ix.1925, 1 ♂, P.A. Buxton .

BPBM: Vanuatu: Éfaté: Port Vila , 0–200 m, ii.1973, 1 ♂ ( MNRJ) , N.L.H. Krauss. Epi: Vaemali , 12.viii.1967, 1 ♂ ; 100–150 m, 16–21.viii.1967, 2 ♂ (1 BMNH) , 1 ♀; 21.viii.1967, 1 ♀, J. & M. Sedlacek. Espiritu Santo: Luganville , 14.iii.1964, 1 ♂ ( MNHN) , R. Straatman; 20–30.viii.1958, B. Malkin. Malekula: Lakatoro , 8.viii.1967, 1 ♀ ; 12.viii.1967, 1 ♀ ; 29.ix.1967, 2 ♀, J. & M. Sedlacek. Tanna: Lenakel , 0–100 m, ii.1970, 1 ♀ ; 0–150 m, iii.1970, 1 ♂ ; 0–200 m, iii.1980, 5 ♂, 3 ♀, N.L.H. Krauss.

Comments. A widespread species, first recorded from Vanuatu by Crosskey (1962). For a full redescription, see Crosskey (1962). The species was recently recorded from New Caledonia ( Couri et al. 2010).

Distribution. American Samoa, Australia (Qld), PNG (Bismarck Arch), Solomon Is, Vanuatu, Western Samoa; Oriental Region.