The biodiversity inventory is an urgent task for insect conservation. Particularly, the urban green spaces (non-built-up areas) within urban environments are a fundamental element to the maintenance and restoration of biodiversity. We describe the diversity of saprophagous Calyptratae in three urban green spaces: a private garden, an urban park, and a natural reserve in Buenos Aires City, Argentina, and we compare the presence of native and cosmopolitan species. A total of 14,688 specimens were collected, representing 62 species. The flies were captured by netting them on attractive baits, rotten viscerae of chicken and dog faeces. The three most abundant species, Cochliomyia macellaria, Tricharaea (Sarcophagula) occidua, and Chrysomya albiceps, represent 81.70 % of the total sample. Native species represented a 67.24 % of the total sample and presented an increase in terms of richness in larger and less modified spaces. Cosmopolitan species treated as "global homogenizers" were identified.

El inventario de la biodiversidad es una tarea urgente para la conservación de los insectos. En particular, los espacios verdes urbanos (áreas sin edificaciones) dentro de entornos urbanos son un elemento fundamental para el mantenimiento y restauración de la biodiversidad. Se describe la biodiversidad de los Calyptratae saprófagos en tres espacios verdes urbanos: un jardín 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 especímenes fueron colectados, representando 62 especies. Las moscas fueron capturadas con red de mano sobres cebos de atracción, vísceras de pollo en descomposición y heces caninas. Las tres especies más 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 términos de riqueza en espacios más grandes y menos modificados. Se identificaron las especies cosmopolitas tratadas con "homogenizadores globales".

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.

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.

Una nueva especie del género Microcerella Macquart, Microcerella cristiani sp. nov., es descripta a partir de material colectado en la Patagonia argentina. Se registra po primera vez para la Argentina a Microcerella austrohartigia Pape. Ambas especies pertenecen al grupo de especies M. spinigena.

Variaciones numéricas de especies de Sarcophagidae (Diptera) se registraron durante un año a intervalos mensuales (febrero 2004-enero 2005), en un pastizal y un bosque de la "Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur" (RECS) de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Se realizaron capturas horarias (10:00 am - 04:00 pm) en cada fecha de muestreo. La muestra de todo el año acumuló 1 305 individuos y 18 especies. Estos dípteros fueron más abundantes en el pastizal que en el bosque. Las especies más numerosas fueron: Microcerella muehni, Oxysarcodexia paulistanensis,O. varia y Tricharaea (Sarcophagula) occidua, en tanto que las restantes representaron menos de 8 % del total. La mayoría de las especies mostraron preferencia por las heces como cebo. Las especies dominantes, con excepción de la especie termofóbica M. muehni, prevalecieron en la primavera tardía y en el verano. La alta dominancia específica observada podría ser indicativa del desorden ecológico provocado por la influencia de asentamientos urbanos adyacentes a los sitios de muestreo.

Temporal changes of flesh flies abundance were simultaneously recorded at monthly intervals during a year in a woodland and in a grassland at the "Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur" (RECS), Buenos Aires city, Argentina. Samples were taken at monthly intervals (February 2004-January 2005). Hourly captures of adult flies (10:00 am - 04:00 pm) were taken each sampling date with a hand net. Temperature was recorded at each hourly capture. The baits used were 200 g of rotten cow liver and 200 g of fresh dog faeces. Records of abundance included only species whose abundance was ≥30 individuals accumulated during the whole sampling period. Considering overall abundance, a non-parametric Chi-square test was used to estimate deviations of an expected habitat and bait preference ratios of 1:1. The same criterion was applied to include species in a contingency table to describe their seasonality. The final matrix included four species whose associations to seasons were analyzed by using a Correspondence Analysis. To normalize the data, a log 10(n+1) transformation was applied prior to the analysis of correlation. Pearson product-moment correlations were used to examine the relationship between flesh-fly abundance with temperature and habitat preference. The entire sample accumulated 1 305 individuals and 18 species. The flies were more abundant in the grassland than in the woodland. Microcerella muehni, Oxysarcodexia paulistanensis, O. varia and Tricharaea (Sarcophagula) occidua exhibited the higher relative abundance, representing the remaining species less than 8 % of the entire sample. Most of the recorded species showed preference for faces as bait. Concerning the dominant species, all of them but M. muehni, a suggestively termophobic species, prevailed in late spring-summer. The observed species arrangement at both sites indicates low species diversity and equitability and high information per individual in the average. The referred community traits would indicate the possible effects of environmental disturbance due to the proximity of study sites to dense urban settlements. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (3): 1287-1294. Epub 2008 September 30.

We conducted a whole year research on the ecology of Mansonia indubitans and Ma. titillans in Macáes Pond, Costanera Sur Reserve, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The usage of different floating plants by immature instars and their overwintering was analized. The percentage of usage of the available floating macrophytes (Pistia, Limnobium, and Salvinia) by the larvae and pupae was studied. Also, we defined positivity (P+) as the percentage of plants with immature instars for each plant genus on a monthly basis. Ma. immature instars were captured throughout the year and Pistia was the resource most commonly exploited by the mosquitoes. The percentage of fourth-instar larvae and pupae on Pistia roots with respect to total immature instars captured was assessed on a monthly and seasonal basis. The proportion of fourth-instar larvae and pupae from both species of Mansonia on water lettuce roots, showed significant differences between months and seasons. Our results suggest that the populations of Ma. indubitans and Ma. titillans in Macáes Pond, survive during winter mainly as fourth-instar larvae.