---

Papers on flies get surprisingly dramatic from time to time. Thank you for directing me to McAlpine - for informative and entertainment value.

From a preliminary glance at the key therein. those two, McAlpine's Australian Elassogaster and Plagiostenopterina should be distinct by Elassogaster's bald face (and centre of scutellum), and Plagiostenopterina's dark longitudinal streak in the wing, at least within the key. If we were in Australia, I'd be leaning quite firmly towards Elassogaster.