A general survey is made of the Australian flies of the family Platystomatidae on the basis of large collections of preserved material and type specimens in European museums. Some information is provided on the biology and habits of the group. The distribution and abundance of the family in the zoogeographic regions of the world is described and particular attention paid to the distribution of genera occurring in Australia, both within and outside the Australian continent.The external morphology of the Platystomatidae is described in some detail and the principal trends in morphological diversity are outlined. The apparent relationships of the Platystomatidae to other families of Diptera are given together with their morphological basis. The family is defined and a scheme is presented for the division of the Platystomatidae into five subfamilies.A key to the Australian genera of Platystomatidae is given and a list of the known Australian species is presented. The genera Mesoctenia, Plagiostenopterina, Lamprogaster, Duomyia, and Euprosopia are defined. Keys to the 139 recognized Australian species of these five genera are provided together with descriptions of the species. Distributional data and, when available, habitat data are recorded for each species.

Relationships among families referred to the superfamily Diopsoidea (or Nothyboidea) are discussed from the evidence of comparative morphology, particular attention being given to the Nothybidae, Psilidae, Syringogastridae, and Diopsidae. Some comments are made on selection of autapomorphies in cladistic methodology. The Tanypezidae and Somatiidae are removed from the Diopsoidea to incertae sedis. The new diopsoid family Gobryidae, or hinge flies, is established for the Oriental-Australasian genus Gobrya Walker, previously variously associated with the families Megamerinidae, Nothybidae, and Syringogastridae. A key to the families which have been included in Diopsoidea is given. A systematic arrangement of taxa mentioned in the discussion is appended.

The morphology of the Coelopidae is considered, particularly in relation to taxonomic characters, terminology, and sexual dimorphism. Taxonomic relationships and family limits are discussed; the Coelopidae appear to be most closely related to the families Helcomyzidae and Dryomyzidae of the superfamily Sciomyzoidea. The following genera are excluded from the Coelopidae: Listriomastax and Apetaenus (Tethinidae), Orygma (Sepsidae), Heterocheila (or Oedoparea, position doubtful). The position of the genera Malacomyia, Baeopterus and Icaridion in the Coelopidae is confirmed. The Coelopidae are divided into two subfamilies, Lopinae subfam.n. and Coelopinae. The Coelopinae include four tribes: Glumini trib.n., Coelopini, Coelopellini trib-n., Ammini trib.n. The following genera and species are described as new: Lopa, Glurna, Rhis, This, Amma, Lopa convexa, Gluma keyzeri, G.nitida, G . musgravei, Rhis whitleyi, This canus, Coelopella popeae, Arnma blancheae. The subgenera Fucomyia and Neocoelopa of the genus Coelopa are rejected as invalid. Chaetocoelopa huttoni Harrison (1959) is a new synonym of Chaetocoelopa littoralis (Hutton, 1881). Coelopa palauensis Hardy (1957) is a new synonym of C.alluaudi Seguy (1941), which is recorded from Australia for the first time. Coelopa africana Malloch (1933a) is a new synonym of C.ursina (Wiedemann, 1824) from southern Africa. Keys are provided to suprageneric groupings of Coelopidae, to the Australasian genera, and to the species of Chaetocoelopa, Coelopella, Gluma and Zcaridion. Information on the biology and ecology of Coelopidae is summarized, and additional data on Australian species are recorded. Coelopids are among the most significant organisms recycling stranded kelp, because of their often enormous biomass. Their activities can be detrimental to sea-side recreation. Parasitism by Stigmatomyces sp. (Ascomycetes: Laboulbeniales) is recorded for several coelopid species. The distribution patterns of coelopid taxa are discussed. 13 I , i 14 i Figs 10-17. Prosterna of 10, Gluma keyzeri s p a ; 11, Coelopa alluaudi Seguy; 12, G l u m musgravei sp.n., 13., Rhis whitleyi sp.n.; 14, This cunus sp.n.; 15, Lopa convexa sp.n.; 16, Bueopterus philpotti (Malloch); 17, Amma bluncheae sp.n., 9 with subcoxal sclerites.

ABSTRACT. The 16 Australian genera of Heleomyzidae are characterised, five genera, together with their type-species, being described as new. A key to the Australasian genera is given.The classification of the Heleomyzidae is discussed and the family is defined to include the following families recognized by some recent authors: Borboropsidae, Chiropteromyzidae, Cnemospathidae, Heteromyzidae, Notomyzidae, Rhinotoridae, Trixoscelididae. The living genera of Heleomyzidae (about 65, but additional genera recognized by some) are classified into 22 tribes of which 12 are newly described. The geographic distribution patterns of the tribes are given. A new genus and species from Chile is described. A key to the neotropical genera and a partial key to the palearctic genera are appended.

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abstract. The main features of antennal segments 2 and 3 seen in the higher Diptera are described, including many that are not or inadequately covered in available publications. The following terms are introduced or clarified: for segment 2 or the pedicel-annular ridge, caestus, chin, collar, conus, distal articular surface, encircling furrow, foramen of articulation, foraminal cusp, foraminal ring, pedicellar button, pedicellar cup, rim; for segment 3 or the postpedicel-basal foramen, basal hollow, basal stem, postpedicellar pouch, sacculus, scabrous tongue, sub-basal caecum; for the stylus or arista-stylar goblet. Particular attention is given to the occurrence and position of the pedicellar button. The button is the cuticular component of a chordotonal organ, which perhaps has the role of a baroreceptor. It is present in the majority of families of Diptera, and possibly was present in the ancestral dipteran. Some generalizations about antennal structure are made, and a diagram showing the main trends in antennal evolution in the Eremoneura is provided. The general form of the antenna shows a transition from approximate radial symmetry (e.g., in Empis, Microphor, and Opetia) through to superficial bilateral symmetry (in many taxa of Eumuscomorpha), though there is usually much asymmetry in detail. More detailed descriptions and illustrations are given for selected taxa of Cyclorrhapha. The phenomenon of an additional concealed segment-like structure between segments 2 and 3, found among the Chloropidae, Pyrgotidae, etc., and formed from the basally flexible conus, is described. Some antennal features of the Calyptratae suggest a relationship to the Tephritoidea. Critical comments are made with regard to the recently published phylogenetic association of the Ironomyiidae with the Phoridae and the Pallopteridae with the Neurochaetidae. In discussing relationships of some taxa, a few non-antennal features, some needing further study, are mentioned, e.g., variation in separation of abdominal tergites 1 and 2 in the Opetiidae and other lower cyclorrhaphous families; the presence of supplementary claw-like terminal tarsal processes in the Lonchopteridae; the apparent restriction of the presence of barbed macrotrichia to the Phoridae, among lower cyclorrhaphans; variation in structure of the prelabrum in the Pyrgotidae; the microstructure of the facial cuticle in the Syringogastridae as compared with that of other families; the calyptrate-like development of the squama in some tephritoid taxa; variation in the subscutellum in the Conopidae; a feature of the larval posterior spiracles diagnostic for Coelopidae.Mcalpine, DaviD K. 2011. Observations on antennal morphology in Diptera, with particular reference to the articular surfaces between segments 2 and 3 in the Cyclorrhapha. Records of the Australian Museum 63(2): 113-166.

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A new species of the genus Cypselosoma Hendel is described, in both the adult and immature stages. This constitutes the first record of the family Cypselosomatidae in Australia. Notes on the family, generic, and specific characters are given with keys to aid identification. The ecology of the new species is discussed and some adaptions necessary to survival in its environment are pointed out. The known distribution of the cypselosomatid genera Cypselosoma and Formicosepsis is given, and the latter recorded from New Guinea for the first time. The relationships of the families Micropezidae and Neriidae are discussed in the light of knowledge gained from the more primitive Cypselosomatidae. It is concluded that the superfamily Micropezoidea should include the following families : Pseudopomyzidae, Cypselosomatidae, Neriidae, Micropezidae, and Megamerinidae. Protoborborus Malloch and Heluscolia Harrison are mentioned as new synonyms of Pseudopomyza Strobl. The genus Heloclusia Malloch is transferred from the Heleomyzidae to the Pseudopomyzidae.