Myiasis is usually caused by flies of the Calliphoridae family, and Cochliomyia hominivorax is the etiological agent most frequently found in myiasis. The first case of myiasis in a diabetic foot of a 54-year-old male patient in Argentina is reported. The patient attended the hospital of the capital city of Tucumán Province for a consultation concerning an ulcer in his right foot, where the larval specimens were found. The identification of the immature larvae was based on their morphological characters, such as the cylindrical, segmented, white yellow-coloured body and tracheas with strong pigmentation. The larvae were removed, and the patient was treated with antibiotics. The larvae were reared until the adults were obtained. The adults were identified by the setose basal vein in the upper surface of the wing, denuded lower surface of the wing, short and reduced palps, and parafrontalia with black hairs outside the front row of setae. The main factor that favoured the development of myiasis is due to diabetes, which caused a loss of sensibility in the limb that resulted in late consultation. Moreover, the poor personal hygiene attracted the flies, and the foul-smelling discharge from the wound favoured the female's oviposition. There is a need to implement a program for prevention of myiasis, in which the population is made aware not only of the importance of good personal hygiene and home sanitation but also of the degree of implication of flies in the occurrence and development of this disease.

The aim of the present study was to compare three different collecting methods, namely, baited traps, active capture with hand net, and Malaise traps, to establish which method is more appropriate for sampling different Calyptratae guilds inhabiting temperate forests of South America. Specifically, it was analyzed which technique or combination of techniques is more adequate for obtaining sarcosaprophagous Calyptratae, which are of great interest from a veterinary and medical viewpoint. Taxa were classified into guilds according to their biology. Active capture was the technique that registered the highest diversity of guilds. When analyzing sarcosaprophagous species, it was observed that their percentage of captures, diversity, and abundance showed clear differences in guild composition between the trapping techniques studied. From these analyses it can be concluded that baited traps and active trapping are complementary methods for capturing sarcosaprophagous Calyptratae species. From the perspective of the biodiversity of this group, the combination of both methodologies allows obtaining a more complete inventory of sarcosaprophagous species of austral temperate forests of South America.

The knowledge of Muscidae of Argentina is fragmentary and incomplete. In this work, 43 species of Muscidae are recorded from Buenos Aires province, the largest and the most populated of Argentina. Redescriptions of Dolichophaonia trigona (Shannon & Del Ponte), Helina nivaloides Albuquerque, Mydaea sexpunctata (Wulp) are presented. Two new synonymies are proposed: Mydaea latomensis Snyder is established as a new junior synonym of M. sexpunctata, and Neodexiopsis croceafrons Snyder is established as a new junior synonym of N. paulistensis Albuquerque. We designated lectotypes for Ophyra carbonaria Shannon & Del Ponte, Phyronota platensis Shannon & Del Ponte, Phyronota portensis Shannon & Del Ponte, and Spilogaster sexpunctata Wulp. Arthurella choelensis Patitucci & Mariluis, Limnophora aurifacies Stein, Lispe setuligera (Stein), Morellia (Trichomorellia) trichops (Malloch), Neomuscina zosteris (Shannon & Del Ponte), and Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp) are recorded for the first time from Buenos Aires province, and Graphomya maculata (Scopoli) and Helina nivaloides are newly recorded from Argentina. New records of distribution for 21 of the 43 species herein studied are presented. A pictoric key to adults of the 43 species of Muscidae from Buenos Aires province is presented. Notes on biology, distribution in Argentina, and references in the literature for this family are also given.

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.

The aim of the present study was to explore the response behavior of males and females of different families of Calyptratae (Diptera) to two different baits (rotten liver and feces) as separate attractants. We describe the sex bias toward these baits for species of Calliphoridae, Muscidae, and Sarcophagidae and compare the general patterns of this sex bias according to the family or trophic guild. In total, 15 species of Sarcophagidae, 10 species of Muscidae, and 9 species of Calliphoridae were analyzed. A female-biased pattern was observed for most calliphorids and for all muscids, whereas a male-biased pattern was more frequent among sarcophagids. The female captures on each kind of bait were assessed as a potential indicator of potential breeding substrates of the species. Three different trophic guilds and their pattern of sex bias were compared. The results obtained allow hypothesizing on the biological traits of saprophagous species, especially on their potential breeding substrates, and assessing proper sampling methods.

No abstract

Myiasis is caused by dipterous larvae from the Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae, Cuterebridae, and Syrphidae families. In this work, Cochliomyia hominivorax, Chrysomya megacephala, and Ornidia robusta were identified causing vulva, ear, and leg myiasis in pigs in Tucuman province, northwestern Argentina. The report of the presence of C. hominivorax and C. megacephala is very important due to their role as myiasis-causing and disease vectors. The occurrence of Ornidia robusta is remarkable, since it constitutes the first record of myiasis in general and of myiasis in pigs in particular. Lastly, the presence of Sarcophaga spp. is also interesting, since some of them originate myiasis and are therefore of concern for cattle, wild animals, and human populations.

Spathipheromyia Bigot is a small group of predaceous muscids endemic of the Neotropical region. Currently, the genus includes 14 species of which only Spathipheromyia atra Malloch, 1934, S. magellani Malloch, 1934 and S. guttipennis (Thomson, 1869) are listed for Argentina. We present a new species Spathipheromyia goliat sp. nov. for Argentina and registered S. albiceps Malloch, 1934 for the first time for Argentina. Also we present a more detailed description of male and female terminalia of S. albiceps, S. atra, and S. guttipennis, notes on their habitat, new records, a key to species, and a discussion on structure of male terminalia.