Diversity of Calliphoridae (Diptera) in Brazil's Tinguá Biological Reserve

The Calliphoridae are flies of great ecological, medical and sanitary importance because they are decomposers of organic matter, mechanical vectors of pathogenic agents, and causers of myiasis. This paper attempts to ascertain the diversity of Calliphoridae in the Tinguá Biological Reserve and correlate meteorological data (temperature, relative humidity of the air, and precipitation) with the occurrence of these flies. The study was conducted at a site in the Tinguá Biological Reserve, located in the municipality of Nova Iguaçu, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Four traps were set up using chicken viscera as bait. The experiment was conducted over the period of May 2001 to April 2002, with two monthly collections. The captured flies were killed with ether and conserved in 70% alcohol and identified in the Laboratory of Diptera Studies (UNIRIO) and the Laboratory of Vector Insect Biology and Control (FIOCRUZ), both headquartered in the city of Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. A total of 1,987 insects were captured, 37.5% belonging to the family Calliphoridae, 29.4% to Muscidae, 16.0% to Sarcophagidae, and 17.1% to other families. The most representative species found was Phaenicia eximia (47.0%), followed by Hemilucilia semidiaphana (23.6%), Mesembrinella bellardiana (13.7%), Hemilucilia segmentaria (7.5%), Chloroprocta idioidea (4.9%), Chrysomya albiceps (1.2%), Chrysomya megacephala (0.9%), Phaenicia sericata (0.6%), Eumesembrinella sp. (0.5%), and Chrysomya putoria (0.1%). Large numbers of Calliphoridae were noted in May, June, September and January, coinciding with low rainfall and an average temperature of 21.8 to 27.0 degrees C. A negative correlation was found between the number of Calliphoridae captured and meteorological factors.