A rare intersexual form of the genus Fannia R.-D. is described. It was found among a large amount of specimens of the genus collected between 1963 and 2014 in the southernmost region of South America. A brief historical account of these specimens within the family Fanniidae is presented, as well as a thorough morphological description of external characters as well as the description and interpretation of the genitalia. A very brief discussion of the possible cause of this phenomenon is also included.

Malacophagomyia Lopes, 1966 is a genus with Neotropical distribution, composed of two subgenera and four species. A new species of Malacophagomyia is described from Colombia, Malacophagomyia (Malacophagomyia) gaelana sp. nov. (type-locality: Caquetá, Florencia), collected in the urban area. Key to species identification and a distribution map for the species of the genus is presented.

AbstractHyadesimyia clausa Bigot is a morphologically striking tachinid that inhabits the Sub‐Antarctic Ecoregion of the Magallanes Region in Chile and Tierra del Fuego province in Argentina. Much of the distributional information about this species is restricted to the Cape Horn islands, which have extreme environmental conditions, but the species' natural history, range limits, and habitat use have never been described or confirmed. Our goals were to describe the distributional limits of this sub‐Antarctic fly with the help of citizen science and use this information type to describe this tachinid's habitat use and potential biological interactions with nonvascular and vascular flora. We found that citizen science significantly increased our understanding of the extent of occurrence, expanding the known distributional range by 195 km to the north and 153 km to the west. On the contrary, the values for the area of occupancy were not significant, but the occupancy overlap between different records was very low. We confirmed that H. clausa's habitat uses peatlands and although we have not provided evidence of pollination or movement of spores, we hypothesized, that the walking activity of H. clausa could help move sperm from mosses and pollen from the flowers of vascular plants, so they could act as potential pollinators. Citizen science can reduce and eliminate some scientific knowledge shortfalls and propose new ecological questions that could increase our knowledge of extreme ecosystems.

Stevenia deceptoria is a woodlouse-parasitizing fly species that has recently been introduced into South America and was until now known only in Argentina. In those countries it has invaded, this exotic fly prospers in cities because of the abundance of potential hosts in gardens and public parks. Here we show that S. deceptoria has been detected in urban ecosystems in the Metropolitan and Valparaíso Regions using citizen science and we describe its current range in the city and the degree of overlap between its range and that of its potential hosts. Records of both woodlouse-parasitizing flies and their hosts were obtained from two citizen science platforms: Facebook and iNaturalist. The extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) were calculated for S. deceptoria and different woodlouse species. We assessed the advance of S. deceptoria into the city, comparing classic EOO and α-hull mode with a chi-squared test with Yates’ continuity correction. We found that S. deceptoria was widely distributed in the Metropolitan Region, with a significant expansion over time. Woodlouse species, although common in the city, are sparsely sampled and so their EOO and AOO are underestimated. Stevenia deceptoria had a medium to complete overlap in distribution with potential woodlice hosts. The rapid expansion of S. deceptoria is probably due to its native host invading the Metropolitan Region. It is therefore likely that this fly species will expand its current distribution to neighboring regions where exotic woodlouse species are present.

Agroecology is a process-based agriculture that implements agrobiodiversification to stabilize ecosystem processes and crop yield, leading to sustainable food systems. Traditionally, agrobiodiversification focused on increasing within-farm plant richness, which may increase local species richness of higher trophic levels. However, it is increasingly recognized that stabilizing ecosystem processes involving plant-animal interactions –e.g., pollination- requires practices that consider the organisation of interactions and heterogeneity effects at landscape level. In this work, we investigated how plant-pollinator interactions organised in agricultural landscapes harbouring agroecological farms and how landscape heterogeneity modulated interactions organisation. We characterized the organisation of 36 plant-pollinator networks describing interactions in nine agricultural landscapes -i.e., agroecological farms and their surroundings- across four flowering peak periods in the Agri-food region of central Córdoba, Argentina. We evaluated (1) centrality to network organisation of plant and pollinator only registered interacting in agroecological farms, farm surroundings (unique species) or in both locations (shared species); and (2) network organisation across gradients of landscape configurational (mean edge density) and compositional (forest proportion) heterogeneity. We found that plant-pollinator networks at landscape scale showed nested structures. Shared plant and pollinator species were the less represented in such networks but were central to networks organisation, i.e., they were connected to most species and with the highest frequency. Results also showed that network organisation changed with landscape configurational heterogeneity. Higher landscape mean edge density was associated with higher total and unique plant richness in networks and lower richness of shared plants. Network connectance and nestedness decreased with higher landscape mean edge density, i.e., plant and pollinator species interacted with less species, shared less interaction partners with more specialist species and showed lower interaction frequency with generalist partners in more heterogeneous landscapes. Our study showed that in agricultural landscapes harbouring agroecological farms (1) a few species inhabiting and showing interactions in both agroecological farms and their surroundings are key to the organisation of plant-pollinator interactions, and (2) landscape heterogeneity modulates such organisation. As interaction networks dynamic is influenced by network organisation, landscape configurational heterogeneity may modulate the stability of the pollination process and ultimately agroecological production. Thus, the agrobiodiversification of agroecological systems may benefit from considering the complexity of plant-pollinator interdependencies across agricultural landscapes and the effects of landscape heterogeneity on such complexity.

A redescription of the genus Aldrichiopa Aldrich, 1934 (Diptera: Tachinidae) is provided and a new species, Aldrichiopa serrata Torres-Domínguez & Mulieri sp. nov. is described from specimens collected in Argentina and Chile. A detailed morphological description of the egg, first instar larva, and adult male and female including terminalia are presented for the first time. Exhaustive photographic records, scanning electron microscopy images, morphological detail of antennal ultrastructure, and updated geographic distributions are provided for the two species of the genus, Aldrichiopa coracella (Aldrich) and A. serrata sp. nov. An identification key based on males is provided. The taxonomic placement of Aldrichiopa to subfamily and tribe is discussed and information on the hosts of this genus of small tachinid flies is compiled.

The anthropization process exerts a profound effect on ecosystems, causing alterations in biodiversity, habitat structure, and species composition, ultimately disrupting the delicate balance of natural environments. The aim of the present study was to explore the ecological dynamics of necrophagous Sarcophagidae and Calliphoridae flies along an anthropization gradient. This research investigated alpha and beta diversity patterns to unravel the impact of human-induced environmental changes on these insect communities and also assesses the dynamics of functional groups in relation to their impact on medical and forensic fields. Five distinct habitats, ranging from urban to forested areas, were surveyed in two Departments in the Province of Chaco, Argentina. Necrophagous flies were collected using van Someren-Rydon canopy traps across three seasons. Two main functional groups were analyzed: oviparous flies (Calliphoridae) and larviparous flies (Sarcophagidae). Results indicated a significant negative correlation between Sarcophagidae species richness and anthropization, whereas Calliphoridae showed increased abundance in highly anthropized sites. The combined assemblage of Calliphoridae+Sarcophagidae exhibited significant relationships across all community parameters evaluated. Beta diversity analysis revealed turnover as the main process shaping dipteran communities along the anthropization gradient, with spatial species replacement dominating. This underscores the importance of interspecific spatial segregation in dipteran community composition. In conclusion, this study enhances our understanding of the ecological adaptations of necrophagous dipterans to anthropogenic disturbances. The observed shifts in diversity and abundance have implications for forensic investigations and public health, emphasizing the need for nuanced monitoring and conservation strategies. This research contributes valuable insights into the intricate ecological interactions of these insect communities within changing ecosystems.

Flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) exhibit a wide range of feeding habits including necrophagy, coprophagy, kleptoparasitism, parasitism, and predation. Among them are species of Sarcophaga Meigen belonging to the subgenera Baranovisca Lopes and Mehria Enderlein that are specialized predators of spider eggs. These flies hover around spider webs and lay their larvae on the spider egg sac. While progress has been made on the taxonomy of Baranovisca and Mehria in recent decades, our knowledge about their biology, prey selection, and distribution remains limited, restricting our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of Sarcophagidae-Araneae interactions. Here, we describe and illustrate the first record of S . ( M .) lorosa Hall preying on egg sacs of Metepeira galatheae (Thorell) (Araneae: Araneidae) in Chile. The taxonomy of S . ( M .) lorosa is revised, with two new junior synonyms proposed: Weyrauchimyia ruficauda Lopes and Tibana, syn. nov., and Arachnidomyia travassosi Tibana and Mello, syn. nov. Furthermore, we present an annotated catalog that comprehensively reviews the existing records of spider egg -predating Sarcophagidae, and provide an overview of the evolution of Sarcophagidae-Araneae interactions. Our catalog includes information on at least four species of Baranovisca and 10 species of Mehria that have been documented as preying on eggs from species of various spider families, such as Araneidae, Cheiracanthiidae, Clubionidae, Philodromidae, Salticidae, and Tetragnathidae. These records cover all biogeographical regions except the Afrotropical. Our results enhance our understanding of the evolution of Sarcophagidae-Araneae interactions.

Three new species of DexosarcophagaTownsend, 1917 are described based on male specimens collected in Brazil, Dexosarcophaga sinoisp. nov., Dexosarcophaga autisferasp. nov., and Dexosarcophaga clavissp. nov. Male morphology is represented by photographs and detailed illustrations of terminalia. Dexosarcophaga carvalhoi (Lopes, 1980), Dexosarcophaga globulosaLopes, 1946, Dexosarcophaga limitata (Lopes, 1975), Dexosarcophaga paulistana (Lopes, 1982b), and Dexosarcophaga petraSantos, Pape and Mello-Patiu 2022 are recorded for the first time in Argentina. Also, Dexosarcophaga lenkoiLopes, 1968, Dexosarcophaga montana (Lopes, 1975), and Dexosarcophaga transitaTownsend, 1917 have their distribution expanded with new records. Dexosarcophaga transita is considered a senior synonym of Dexosarcophaga chaetosaBlanchard, 1939syn. nov., Dexosarcophaga itaquaDodge, 1966syn. nov., and Dexosarcophaga lopesiDodge, 1968syn. nov. With the addition of the new species and the new synonymies proposed, Dexosarcophaga now contains 58 species, of which 10 are recorded in Argentina and 35 in Brazil.

Coenosiini (Diptera: Muscidae) is a large cosmopolitan tribe of muscids, within which Coenosia Meigen and Neodexiopsis Malloch are the genera with the largest number of species. In this work, we revised for the first time, all the species placed by Malloch (1934) under Austrocoenosia, an endemic genus from the Andean Patagonian Forests, whose species are now placed in Coenosia and Neo-dexiopsis. We provide detail redescriptions for eight species placed by Malloch (1934) under Austrocoenosia, and decribed two new species (Coenosia delneneo sp. nov. and Coenosia patagonica sp. nov.), with high quality photographs detailing new structures of the male and female terminalia. To establish the position of the species of Austrocoenosia with respect to Coenosia and Neodexiopsis, we made a phylogenetic analysis using implied weighting for 36 taxa and 132 morphological characters of adults, including male and female genitalia. We recovered all species of Austrocoenosia as Coenosia species. We propose the following nomenclature actions: Austrocoenosia as a junior synonymy of Coenosia (syn. rest.); Coenosia brevicornis (Malloch) (comb. nov.), Coenosia dubia (Big-ot) (comb. rest.); Coenosia hucketti, Pont (nom. nov.) and Coenosia nigerrima (Malloch) (comb. rest.). We also propose Coenosia spumicola Pont as an unplaced species of Coenosia sensu lato. Finally, we updated the geographic distributions for all species and observed several new male and female terminalia structures, which enriched the discussion of the genera and the tribe.

During samplings carried out to evaluate the diversity of calyptrate flies (Diptera: Calyptratae) in northeastern Argentina, Mesembrinella bicolor (Fabricius, 1805) was first detected. This finding represents the second species of Mesembrinellidae from Argentina, after Mesembrinella bellardiana Aldrich, 1922 and the southernmost known record for a species of Mesembrinellidae. A brief diagnosis of both species is included.

A new species of the genus Malacophagula Bequaert (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) is described, M. ventana sp. nov., collected during a Rapid Biodiversity Assessment (RBA) in Sierra de la Ventana, an area of high value for conservation of Argentina. In this work the genus Malacophagula is recorded for the first time in Argentina. Illustrations of the habitus and phallic structures to diagnose and recognition of this species are provided.

Global biodiversity loss by anthropogenic impacts is an under-recognized form of global environmental change. Global defaunation is still poorly documented in the case of insects, showing a significant decrease in populations and diversity. The blowfly Neta chilensis (Walker 1837) is poorly known and presumed to be confined to southern-South America, with an unclear distributional pattern. It was last collected in 1984. We aimed, through Ecological Niche Models, to identify regions highly suitable for N. chilensis; to test the suitability of regions with doubtful records; to understand the impact that climatic change and human activities have had; and to identify regions with high chances to find it. We compiled 130 presence records from Argentina and Chile and 117 localities where it was sought but not found between 1987 and 2018. Results indicate that suitable conditions are restricted to southern and central Chile and to southwestern Argentina, that doubtful records are predicted in unsuitable areas, that N. chilensis occupies a narrow niche and that its decline is not mainly caused by climate changes but more probably to habitat loss and to the biological invasion. We identified two regions where the chances of finding the species are higher in the case that it is not extinct already.

Species diversity can be affected by the structure of vegetation, which may vary in height, density, and distribution of trees, shrubs, and other plant types, configuring different types of habitats. In this study, we evaluated the diversity of sarcosaprophagous Sarcophagidae communities inhabiting the remnant representative habitats protected in Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park: grasslands, forests, and wetlands. We hypothesized that the abundance and diversity of flesh flies would be higher in the grasslands and wetlands than in the forest patches. Samplings were carried out in each habitat type using baited traps during the four seasons in 2015, 2016, and 2019. We collected 585 sarcophagid flies of 17 species. Fifteen species were recorded in grasslands, twelve in the wetlands, and seven in the forests, Tricharaea (Sarcophagula) occidua (Fabricius) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) being the most abundant (58.3% of the total sample). As expected, the highest abundance was recorded in grasslands whereas the lowest was found in forests. In addition, flesh fly abundance was affected by season. Sarcophagid assemblages differed between habitats and the overall dissimilarity was mainly explained by nestedness. This study provides important information about sarcosaprophagous sarcophagid flies in a little-studied protected natural area in Argentina, which is fundamental for their conservation and useful in forensic investigations.

ABSTRACT Coenosia Meigen is a cosmopolitan genus of Coenosiinae (Diptera: Muscidae) found in different environments. This large genus has been divided in different subgroups in the diverse bioregions of the world. Particularly, Coenosia species are poorly studied in the Neotropical region. We describe two new species, redescribe Coenosia chaetosa, and provide the first Coenosia species group for the Neotropical region. Also, we put together groups of species sharing informative morphological characters for Neotropical species, include a brief review of Coenosia species of Central and South America with notes on biogeographic distributional records, and discuss the structures of male terminalia present in species groups/subgenera from different regions of the world. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:33F53019-E31A-45C8-B50A-2A533618C9E0

The palm Euterpe edulis is an important palm species for the extraction of palm heart, a highly profitable consumable product. Due to its importance, much research has been conducted around the ecology of this palm species. Nevertheless, information available on its reproductive ecology is quality-deficient and fragmented, resulting in misleading views of the pollination and reproductive ecology of E. edulis. Here we conduct the first thorough study assessing the relative dependence on animal pollination of E. edulis in Argentina, and conduct parallel detailed observations on floral visitors. Also, we integrate our results with those available for the species in the literature. Here we found that E. edulis has an ambophilic pollination system. However, in our study system, there was a predominance of wind pollination over insect pollination and the species can also set seeds in the absence of pollen. Also, our study shows in great detail the large diversity of insects visiting E. edulis, indicating the generalist pollination system of the species, where Hymenoptera and Diptera stand out in richness and frequency of visits. The palm represents a key resource for a wide diversity of insect visitors, but the palm does not rely on their efficiency to act as pollinators. The varied levels of reproductive dependence on animal versus wind pollination of E. edulis may be shaped by climatic and landscape conditions. Such alternative versatile strategies allow the species to guarantee the reproductive success under different ecological contexts.