Musca domestica Linnaeus 1758

Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758

(Figs. 1 b, 34)

Material examined. ARGENTINA: BUENOS AIRES: 1 female, Adrogué, 7-V-1930. (ANLIS); 1 male, Capital Federal, Instituto de Entomología Sanitaria, 30-IX-1940. (ANLIS); 3 females, Capital Federal, Instituto Malbrán, XII-2007, Patitucci leg. (ANLIS); 1 female, Carlos Casares, Estancia San Claudio, on Conyza bonariensis 07-III- 2007, Fernandez & Montalvo leg. (FAUBA); 1 male, Chascomús, 28-I-1938, Biraben-Scott leg. (MLP); 1 male, Pehuajó, 26-III-1938. Biraben-Scott leg. (MLP); 1 female, Quequén, I-2010, Patitucci leg. (MACN); 1 female, San Isidro, 25-VIII-1926, Shannon & Del Ponte leg. (ANLIS); 3 females, San Miguel, XI-1976, Mariluis leg. (MACN); 1 female, Santa Clara del Mar, XI-2007, Mariluis leg. (MACN); 2 females, 4 males, Villa Elisa, La Plata, II-1982, Mariluis leg. (MACN). CHUBUT: 23 females, 11 males, Sarmiento, 28-I-1960, Bachmann leg. (ANLIS). CÓRDOBA: 1 female, Capilla del Monte, 1000 mts., I-2001, Mariluis leg. (MACN); 3 females, Guanaco Muerto, II-1975, Mariluis leg. (MACN); 1 male, Huerta Grande, X-2008, Patitucci leg. (MACN). CORRIENTES: 1 female, Parque Nacional Mburucuyá, 10-XII-1997, Oliva leg. (MACN). ENTRE RÍOS: 2 males, Paraná, on Eryngium sp., 20-XII-2004, Torretta leg. (FAUBA); 1 male, Paraná, on Rapistrum rugosum, 20-XII-2004, Torretta leg. (FAUBA); 1 male, San Benito, XII-2004, Torretta leg. (MACN). LA PAMPA: 5 females, 3 males, Catriló, 24- III-1938, Biraben-Scott leg. (MLP). MENDOZA: 3 females, Mendoza Capital, 24-V-2007, Aballay leg. (IADIZA). MISIONES: 1 female, San Antonio, 9-II-1937 (ANLIS). RÍO NEGRO: 1 male, Valcheta, 10-II-1938, Biraben- Scott leg. (MLP). SALTA: 6 females, 11 males, Rivadavia, La Merced, 4-VIII-1960 (ANLIS); 2 females, Talapampa, 9-III-1939, Biraben-Scott leg. (MLP). SAN JUAN: 8 females, Jáchal, La Legua, III-2005, Aballay leg. (IADIZA); 9 females, 2 males, Rivadavia, 10- I-2006, Aballay leg. (IADIZA). SANTA CRUZ: 5 females, 2 males, Río Turbio, 29-I-1960, Bachmann leg. (ANLIS). SANTA FE: 2 females, 1 male, Christophersen, 25-IV-2009, Patitucci leg. (MACN); 1 female, 1 male, Reconquista, 26-XI-1939, Biraben-Scott leg. (MLP). SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO: 1 female, Santiago del Estero, Wagner leg. (MLP). TIERRA DEL FUEGO: 1 male, Lago Fagnano, I- 1982, Gondel leg. (ANLIS). TUCUMÁN: 3 females, M. Bello, 14-I-1945 (ANLIS).

Distribution in Argentina (Fig. 34): Buenos Aires; Chubut (new record); Córdoba; Corrientes (new record); Entre Ríos; La Pampa (new record); Mendoza (new record); Misiones (new record); Río Negro; Salta (new record); San Juan; Santa Cruz (new record); Santa Fe; Santiago del Estero (new record); Tierra del Fuego (new record); Tucumán (new record).

References for Argentina. Aballay et al. (2008); Battán-Horenstein et al. (2005); Berg (1899); Malloch (1934); Marchionatto (1945); Perotti & Brasesco (1996).

Remarks. A redescription with good illustrations of male and female terminalia was provided by Pont (1973). The immature stages were studied by Skidmore (1985).

Biology. Musca domestica is closely associated with man and is commonly found in houses, being attracted to a wide variety of substances for feeding (Skidmore 1985). This fly occurs on all continents except Antarctica, but is native from the Afrotropical and Oriental regions and was probably introduced into the Americas by Europeans during colonial times (Moon 2002).