Additional country records and a correction to checklist of the Calliphoridae (Diptera) of Colorado, with a new state record for Chrysomya rufifacies.

Abstract

Thirty-one additional county records are provided for the blowflies of Col orado. Paralucilia wheeled (Hough) is cited as a junior synonym of Compsomyiops callipes (Bigot), a correction from an earlier paper. Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) is confirmed in Colorado and a discussion of the circumstances of collection of larval specimens from Otero County (ex. badger, 16 September 1994) and larval specimens from the City and County of Denver (ex. fox, 26 July 1996) is presented. Thirty-three species of blow flies have been reported from Colorado, including, historically, Cochliomyia hominivorax Coquerel, which has been eradicated from the United States (De Jong, 1994). Blowflies are important in the decomposition of or ganic materials and their larvae are common in decomposing carcasses (Heath, 1982). Several species are economically important in cases of myiasis or the trans mission of disease (Greenberg, 1971, 1973). Because of the rapid colonization of a carcass and the predictable growth patterns of the larvae, blowflies have been con sidered favorable indicators of post-mortem interval in forensic entomology (see re view by Keh, 1985). Dear (1985) established Paralucilia wheeleri (Hough) as a junior synonym of Compsomyiops callipes (Bigot). This synonymy was accidentally missed in De Jong (1994). Materials and Methods Adult blowflies collected since 1993 in the collections of the C. P. Gillette Mu seum of Arthropod Biodiversity at Colorado State University were examined and identified to species. Additionally, specimens were collected by the authors by aerial netting of adults over road-killed carcasses and meat baits and handpicking of larvae directly from carcasses. Carcasses included deer, cow, cat, mouse, squirrel, fox, badger, rabbit, and blackbird. Adult blowflies were pinned and larvae were preserved in 70% ethyl al cohol.