Psilochaeta chalybea (Wiedemann, 1830)

(Figs. 40, 41)

Diagnosis: General coloration of body metallic blue, thorax with four dorsal dark brown vittae; antenna and palpus dark brown; calypters darkened and dark brown at margin; halter dark brown. Eye ciliate; arista pubescent, with cilia smaller than basal width of the arista; notopleuron with two setae, posterior seta surrounded by many setulae; prealar seta strong; katepimeron with few setulae; dorsocentral setae 2+4; katepisternal setae 2+3; calcar present; lower calypter about twice the length of upper calypter and both entirely covered with cilia marginally; wing veins bare, except costal vein; sternite 1 bare. Body length: 5.2–7.7 mm. Wing length: 4.8–6.8 mm.

Material examined: CHILE: Juan Fernández, Robinson Crusoe Island 5 males and 4 females, Bahia Cumberland, 1–11.i.1993, Marshall & Gonzalez ; 1 female, Bahia Cumberland, 31.i.1993, S. A. Marshall; 1 male, Plazoleta-El Yunque, 23–28.i.1992, S. A. Marshall ; 6 females, Plazoleta - El Yunque, 1–9.i.1993, S. A. Marshall ; 1 female, Mirador Selkirk, 30.xii.1992, S. A. Marshall.

References: de Carvalho (1989), Carvalho & Couri (2002).

Distribution: Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile (including Juan Fernández Archipelago) (Löwenberg-Neto & de Carvalho 2013).

Biology: This species is associated with anthropic environments, having been often captured in rural areas, from decomposing bovine liver, chicken viscera, fish and dog feces (Figueroa-Roa & Linhares 2004; Patitucci et al. 2013).

Comments: Hennig (1955) identified 12 specimens of Ophyra coerulea Macquart, 1843 (currently Psilochaeta chalybea) in Robinson Crusoe Island (Table 1). This was the first record of this species in the Archipelago, Wiedemann (1830)’s record is not valid, as indicated by Löwenberg-Neto & Carvalho (2013).