Juan C. Mariluis

Diversity and Seasonal Dynamics of an Assemblage of Sarcophagid Diptera in a Gradient of Urbanization

Abstract Sarcophagid species inhabiting different locations in a rural-urban gradient were surveyed in the east central Argentine district of the Almirante Brown, Buenos Aires province. The main objectives of this research were to identify the most prevalent sarcophagid species and to describe community richness and diversity according to the degree of urbanization and the environmental variables measured in three locations within a rural-urban gradient sampled during two years from May 2005 to April 2007. Spatial and seasonal variations were the main factors involved in structuring the sarcophagid communities. Diversity was lower in urbanized areas than in rural ones. Bait and microhabitat preferences (sunny or shady places) and seasonal fluctuations were described for 17 sarcophagid species.

Umbilical myiasis in a human newborn

The new-world screw-worm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax, is an obligate ectoparasite of domestic and wild animals, and in some cases may affect humans. Myiasis in the human neonatal period is a rare occurrence and almost exclusively found in neotropic areas. Although umbilical myiasis is well-recognized in animals, infestation of human umbilical cord and abdominal tissue is a rare occurrence. Once the diagnosis has been made, the treatment is usually straightforward and uncomplicated. In this article, a newborn infant from an urban area is reported with umbilical myiasis caused by fly larvae of C. hominivorax. The blowfly causing this infestation belongs to the family Calliphoridae (Diptera) and the genus Cochliomyia that usually infests only open wounds of animals.

Species composition and heterogeneity of blowflies assemblages (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in urban–rural gradients at regional scale in Argentinean Patagonia

This work is aimed at describing the spatial distribution of Calliphoridae species along urban–rural gradients in the southern Patagonian steppe, and the influence of geographical factors on species composition and relative abundance. Blowfly assemblages from 12 localities of Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego, Argentina between 1997 and 2007 were studied. Samples were assigned to three categories of sites (wild sites, mid-urbanized and urbanized) and four environmental variables were recorded. Three dominant species account for 98% of all specimens, the wild Compsomyiops fulvicrura, and two synanthropic species: Lucilia sericata and Calliphora vicina. Additionally we tested the homogenization of urban calliphorid fauna by comparing the turnover of species among sites, but our findings showed similar heterogeneity of urban and non-urban assemblages.

The Sarcophagidae (Diptera) of the Coastline of Buenos Aires City, Argentina

Abstract The flesh fly community was surveyed on the shoreline of Río de la Plata at an ecological reserve whose western border directly abuts downtown eastern Buenos Aires. Samples were taken at monthly intervals from September 2004 to August 2005. To attract the flies, dog faeces and rotten cow liver were used as bait. Overall number, species composition and sex ratio were referred to each chosen bait. Of the thirteen species captured during the sampling period, Helicobia aurescens (Townsend), Oxysarcodexia culmiforceps Dodge, Oxysarcodexia marina (Hall), Oxysarcodexia thornax (Walker), Sarcophaga (Lipoptilocnema) koehleri (Blanchard), S. (L.) lanei (Townsend) and Tricharaea (Sarcophagula) occidua (Fabricius) were recorded for the first time in Buenos Aires city. Regardless of species composition, higher number of flies were obtained on faeces. Tricharaea (S.) occidua, was highly dominant (78,35%) followed in abundance by Oxysarcodexia varia (7,82%), both species showing a strong preference for dog faeces. Microcerella muehni and Oxysarcodexia paulistanensis did not show any preference on either bait. Sex ratio was male biased for O. varia, while females were dominant for O. paulistanensis and T. (S.) occidua, and no differences were found for M. muehni. Baits preference and sex ratio could not be estimated for the remaining species due to their low abundance.

The population ecology of Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (Diptera: Muscidae), along an Urban-Rural Gradient of Buenos Aires, Argentina

The false stable fly, Muscina stabulans (Fallén), was surveyed along an urban-rural gradient at Almirante Brown, Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Samples were taken at monthly intervals from May 2005 to April 2007. Hourly captures of adult flies (10:00 am-04:00 pm) were taken at each sampling date with a hand net. The baits used were 250 g of rotten cow liver and 250 g of fresh dog faeces exposed in shaded and sunny areas. The entire sample accumulated 358 specimens. The number of specimens captured during the second year was higher than in the fi rst year. Muscina stabulans was more abundant at urban-suburban sites. Females showed significant preferences for cow liver. We caught more specimens in shaded areas. The hourly activity increased toward the afternoon at the three sites. The present work was the first ecological study related to a muscid species in Argentina.

New species and new records of Microcerella Macquart (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) belonging to the M. spinigena species-group

A new species of the genus Microcerella Macquart, Microcerella cristiani sp. nov., is described from material obtained from Argentinean Patagonia. First records are given for Microcerella austrohartigia Pape in Argentina. Both species belong to the M. spinigena species group.

The Sarcophaginae (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) of Southern South America. I. The species of Microcerella Macquart from the Patagonian Region

A revision is given of the species placed in the genus Microcerella Macquart, known from the southern extreme of South America, the so-called Patagonian Region. A new diagnosis of the genus is given on the basis of the revision of a large number of Neotropical species. A total of 25 valid species are recognized in the region. Most of these (21 species) are divided into four species-groups on the basis of general groundplan of genitalia and external characters. Four new species are described, M. deliae sp. nov., M. holmbergi sp. nov., M. nataliae sp. nov. and M. paetoi sp. nov. One new synonymy is established: Austrohartigia shannoni Lopes as a new junior synonym of Microcerella spinosa (Hall), syn. nov. A lectotype is designated for Doringia subandina Blanchard [a junior synonym of Microcerella spinigena (Rondani)]. Two species are recorded from Argentina for the first time: M. chicoensis (Lopes) and M. engeli (Hall). Three nominal species were not examined and are treated as nomina dubia within Microcerella: M. apicalis (Townsend), M. rufomaculata Macquart and M. sarcophagina Thomson. An illustrated key is provided to the males of Patagonian species of Microcerella allowing for separation of 25 species. Additionally, a series of images of male genitalia based on color photography and illustrations is provided to aid in the identification of these species of Microcerella. Biological information is given for the species, where known.

Cystomyiasis by Larvae of a Psychoda SP. (Diptera: Psychodidae): First Case for Argentina

ABSTRACT The larvae of a Psychoda sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae) were found in the vagina of a 34-year-old woman with a serohaematic, malodorous discharge subsequent to pelvic pain and cervical biopsy. This occurrence, in the city of Buenos Aires, is the first recorded in Argentina. The larvae of Psychoda spp. usually feed upon bacterial growth inside water pipes. Their presence is interpreted as accidental, perhaps due to local infection suffered by the patient.

An inventory of saprophagous Calyptratae (Insecta: Diptera) in urban green spaces of Buenos Aires City

El inventario de la biodiversidad es una tarea urgente para la conservacion de los insectos. En particular, los espacios verdes urbanos (areas sin edificaciones) dentro de entornos urbanos son un elemento fundamental para el mantenimiento y restauracion de la biodiversidad. Se describe la biodiversidad de los Calyptratae saprofagos en tres espacios verdes urbanos: un jardin privado, un parque urbano, y una reserva natural en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, y se compara la presencia de especies cosmopolitas y nativas. Un total de 14.688 especimenes fueron colectados, representando 62 especies. Las moscas fueron capturadas con red de mano sobres cebos de atraccion, visceras de pollo en descomposicion y heces caninas. Las tres especies mas abundantes, Cochliomyia macellaria, Tricharaea (Sarcophagula) occidua, y Chrysomya albiceps, representan el 81,70 % de la muestra total. Las especies nativas representan 62,24 % de la muestra total y muestran un incremento en terminos de riqueza en espacios mas grandes y menos modificados. Se identificaron las especies cosmopolitas tratadas con “homogenizadores globales”

Taxonomic review of the species of Helina R.-D. (Diptera: Muscidae) from Andean-Patagonian forests

Helina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 is the second genus of Muscidae in terms of richness. This genus includes several species collected at high altitudes and high latitudes, and is poorly studied in the Neotropical region. Only 12 species of Helina have been recorded in the southern limit of South America in the Andean-Patagonian forests. In the present work, we studied all the species known from the Andean-Patagonian forests, with the exception of H. viola Malloch, 1934, present three new species, H. araucana sp. nov., H. dorada sp. nov., and H. ouina sp. nov., and provide the first description of the females of H. australis Carvalho & Pont, 1993 and H. rufoapicata Malloch, 1934. We also propose four new synonymies: H. nigrimana basilaris (Carvalho & Pont, 1993) and H. nigrimana grisea (Malloch, 1934) as new junior synonyms of H. nigrimana (Macquart, 1851); and H. fulvocalyptrata Malloch, 1934 and H. simplex Malloch, 1934 as new junior synonyms of H. chilensis Malloch, 1934. Finally, we provide a generic diagnosis and a new key for the Helina species of the Andean-Patagonian forests, as well as notes on the biology and distribution maps of each specimen, and discuss a preliminary contruction of groups of species.