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.

Recently a new species of bombyliid fly, Marleyimyia xylocopae, was described by Marshall & Evenhuis (2015) based on two photographs taken during fieldwork in the Republic of South Africa. This species has no preserved holotype. The paper generated some buzz, especially among dipterists, because in most cases photographs taken in the field provide insufficient information for properly diagnosing and documenting species of Diptera.

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.El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir la distribución espacial de las Calliphoridae presentes en gradientes urbano-rurales de la estepa Patagónica austral, y la influencia de factores geográficos sobre su composición y abundancia relativa. Se registró la composición de califóridos en 12 localidades de Santa Cruz y Tierra del Fuego, Argentina entre 1997 y 2007. Las muestras fueron asignadas a tres categorías de sitio (urbano, semi-urbano y no habitados) y se registraron cuatro variables ambientales. Tres especies dominantes acumularon el 98% del total capturado de especimenes, la asinantrópica Compsomyiops fulvicrura, y dos especies sinantrópicas: Lucilia sericata y Calliphora vicina. Adicionalmente se puso a prueba la homogenización de la fauna de callifóridos urbana, mediante la comparación del recambio de especies entre sitios, pero nuestros resultados indicaron una similar heterogeneidad de las comunidades urbanas y no urbanas.

Thirty-nine species of Sarcophaginae are recorded from Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). A new species, Microcerella asymmetrica sp. nov., is described. Females of Oxysarcodexia bicolor Lopes, O. marina Hall, and Sarcophaga (Lipoptilocnema) koehleri Blanchard are described for the first time. Four nomenclatorial actions are reported: Sarcohelicobia elegans Blanchard is established as a new junior synonym of Nephochaetopteryx cyaneiventris Lopes, and lectotypes are designated for Oxysarcodexia delpontei Blanchard [a junior synonym of Oxysarcodexia paulistanensis (Mattos)], Sarcophaga argentina Brèthes [a junior synonym of Sarcophaga (Liopygia) argyrostoma (Robineau-Desvoidy)], and Neobellieria brethesi Blanchard [a junior synonym of Sarcophaga (Neobellieria) polistensis Hall]. Blaesoxipha (Tephromyia) hospes (Aldrich), Peckia (Euboettcheria) florencioi (Prado & Fonseca), Ravinia advena (Walker), R. aureopyga (Hall) and Sarcodexia lambens (Wiedemann) are newly recorded from Buenos Aires Province, and Udamopyga percita is newly recorded from Argentina. A key is presented to the adult males and females of 36 of the 39 species of Sarcophaginae recorded from Buenos Aires province. Notes on distribution, biology, life history and host records are also given.

No abstract

No abstract

The type material of species of Tachinidae (Diptera) housed in the collection of the Entomology Division of the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" were examined and are herein documented. The collection contains 202 type specimens consisting of 54 species described by E.E. Blanchard and 12 described by J. Brèthes. Comparison of their original descriptions with the label information reveals the existence of 24 holotypes, 1 lectotype, 141 syntypes and 36 paratypes. Complete information is given for each type, including reference to the original description, label data, and preservation condition.

The Rhinophoridae are a small family with about 150 named species worldwide. Seventeen species of this family are known from the Neotropical Region: 14 species of Bezzimyia Townsend; the monotypic genera Shannoniella Townsend and Trypetidomima Townsend; and the Palaearctic immigrant Melanophora roralis (Linnaeus) (Pape & Arnaud 2001; Pape in press). Undescribed species of Bezzimyia and Shannoniella as well as species that cannot be assigned to any of the currently described genera are known (P. Cerretti, pers. comm., & TP, unpubl.), and the Neotropical rhinophorid fauna is still superficially known.