[3] The most widespread species in North America are Calliphora livida, C. vicina, and C.

[3] Calliphora, meaning "bearer of beauty", was first formally named in 1830 by Jean-Baptiste Robineau-Desvoidy.

Adults of Calliphora have a grey or black thorax, the colour dulled by a heavy microtomentum.

The abdomen is metallic blue (rarely purple or green) and sometimes also dulled by microtomentum.

The suprasquamal ridge is bare or with inconspicuous fine setae only.