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

Abstract

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.