Sarcophagid species inhabiting different locations in a rural-urban gradient were surveyed in the east central Argentine district of the Almirante Brown, Buenos Aires province. The main objectives of this research were to identify the most prevalent sarcophagid species and to describe community richness and diversity according to the degree of urbanization and the environmental variables measured in three locations within a rural-urban gradient sampled during two years from May 2005 to April 2007. Spatial and seasonal variations were the main factors involved in structuring the sarcophagid communities. Diversity was lower in urbanized areas than in rural ones. Bait and microhabitat preferences (sunny or shady places) and seasonal fluctuations were described for 17 sarcophagid species.

The new-world screw-worm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax, is an obligate ectoparasite of domestic and wild animals, and in some cases may affect humans. Myiasis in the human neonatal period is a rare occurrence and almost exclusively found in neotropic areas. Although umbilical myiasis is well-recognized in animals, infestation of human umbilical cord and abdominal tissue is a rare occurrence. Once the diagnosis has been made, the treatment is usually straightforward and uncomplicated. In this article, a newborn infant from an urban area is reported with umbilical myiasis caused by fly larvae of C. hominivorax. The blowfly causing this infestation belongs to the family Calliphoridae (Diptera) and the genus Cochliomyia that usually infests only open wounds of animals.

Thirty-nine species of Sarcophaginae are recorded from Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). A new species, Microcerella asymmetrica sp. nov., is described. Females of Oxysarcodexia bicolor Lopes, O. marina Hall, and Sarcophaga (Lipoptilocnema) koehleri Blanchard are described for the first time. Four nomenclatorial actions are reported: Sarcohelicobia elegans Blanchard is established as a new junior synonym of Nephochaetopteryx cyaneiventris Lopes, and lectotypes are designated for Oxysarcodexia delpontei Blanchard [a junior synonym of Oxysarcodexia paulistanensis (Mattos)], Sarcophaga argentina Brèthes [a junior synonym of Sarcophaga (Liopygia) argyrostoma (Robineau-Desvoidy)], and Neobellieria brethesi Blanchard [a junior synonym of Sarcophaga (Neobellieria) polistensis Hall]. Blaesoxipha (Tephromyia) hospes (Aldrich), Peckia (Euboettcheria) florencioi (Prado & Fonseca), Ravinia advena (Walker), R. aureopyga (Hall) and Sarcodexia lambens (Wiedemann) are newly recorded from Buenos Aires Province, and Udamopyga percita is newly recorded from Argentina. A key is presented to the adult males and females of 36 of the 39 species of Sarcophaginae recorded from Buenos Aires province. Notes on distribution, biology, life history and host records are also given.