What kind of fly is this?

[ozwildlife]

I photographed this (Australian) fly recently but I'm not sure what family it belongs to. Let me know if you can put a family name to it. It is about the size of a house fly. From the wing pose I'd guess Stratiomyidae but could be completely wrong - I don't really know enough about them to say.

[Laurence Clemons]

While I know nothing of Australian flies I would say it is a calypterate e.g. Calliphoridae or Muscidae (even though the thorax is not as bristly as customary), and a female. In some respects is resembles a syrphid but certainly not the Stratiomyiidae we get here in England.

[ozwildlife]

Thanks Laurence. I see now that it is not a Stratiomyiidae. This one I snapped the other day looks more like one of the Stratiomyiidae.

[Laurence Clemons]

A good introduction to the World's flies can be found at

The Diptera Site

[Laurence Clemons]

...and another, more local one, at

http://www.geocities.com/pchew_brisbane/index.html