[Chrysomya (Diptera: Calliphoridae) relative abundance and species seasonality in the Pantanal, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil].

Species of the genus Chrysomya Robineau-Desvoidy 1830 (Diptera: Calliphoridae) play an important role in public health due to myiasis and transmission of enteropathogens. This study aimed to estimate the relative abundance and seasonality of the three Chrysomya species (C. albiceps, C. putoria, and C. megacephala) that occur in the Pantanal region. The flies were caught by four Wind Oriented Traps, baited with decayed bovine liver. Traps were kept active all over the study carried out from December 2004 to November 2007 at Nhumirim ranch, located at the Nhecolândia subregion, Southern Pantanal. A total of 159,086 Calliphoridae flies were collected and 31.87% of them belonged to the genus Chrysomya. Among calliphorid dipterans the most abundant species was C. albiceps (30.86%), followed by C. megacephala (0.67%), and C. putoria (0.34%). The three Chrysomya species showed similar seasonal fluctuations with two annual population peaks observed in June-August and October-December.