Microcerella muehni ( Blanchard, 1939 )

Mariluis, Pablo Ricardo Mulieri Juan Carlos & Patitucci, Luciano Damián, 2010, Review of the Sarcophaginae (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) of Buenos Aires Province (Argentina), with a key and description of a new species, Zootaxa 2575, pp. 1-37 : 19

Microcerella muehni ( Blanchard, 1939)

( Fig. 5 )

Scopaediscus muehni Blanchard, 1939: 802 (as mühni).

Distribution: Neotropical – Argentina (Buenos Aires, Chaco).

Material studied: Buenos Aires: 1 ɗ La Plata, La Plata, II.1988, Schnack leg. ( ANLIS); 1 ɗ Tandil, Tandil, V.1998 Ojanguren leg. ( ANLIS); 2 ɗ El Carretero, Magdalena, V–IX.1999 ( FAUBA); 15 ɗ, 5 Ψ Campana, Basural Tapado, XI.1998 Mariluis leg. ( ANLIS); 24 ɗ, 11 Ψ Campana, Campana, III–IV.2003, Mariluis leg. ( ANLIS); 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ Ciud. Aut. Buenos Aires, II.1997 on rotten meat, Oliva leg. ( MACN); 1 Ψ Ciud. Aut. Buenos Aires, IV.1997, Oliva leg. ( MACN); 12 ɗ, 1 Ψ Santa Clara del Mar, Mar Chiquita, XI.2007 Mulieri leg. ( ANLIS).

Remarks: Good illustrations of male and female terminalia were provided by Blanchard (1939) and Lopes (1982).

Biology: Originally, the specimens of the type series of M. muehni were obtained from Oiketicus kirbyi (Guilding) ( Lepidoptera , Psychidae ) ( Blanchard 1939). Additional material was obtained from Alabama argillacea (Hübner) ( Lepidoptera , Noctuidae ) ( Blanchard & De Santis 1975). Nevertheless, the species was later considered as non-specific saprophagous ( Oliva 1997). In Buenos Aires, M. muehni exhibited higher abundance during the winter, and was captured both with rotten cow liver and dog faeces ( Mulieri et al. 2008).

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 7. 5. Microcerella muehni, male abdominal sternites, ventral view. 6. M. acrydiorum, female abdominal sternite 7 + 8, ventral view. 7. M. erythropyga, female abdominal sternite 7 + 8, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.20 mm. The arrow shows the hump at distal part. Abbreviation: ST, sternite.