Morphology, molecular phylogeny and record verification of Sarcophaga ruficornis Fabricius (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) from Egypt

In forensic entomology, accurate species identification is essential for calculating the exact minimum postmortem interval (minPMI), as insect developmental rates are highly species-specific. Sarcophaga (Liopygia) ruficornis (Fabricius, 1794) is a species of medical and forensic significance. Recently, it was recorded from Egypt for the first time. The current study aimed to conclusively identify S. ruficornis in Egypt through DNA barcoding and morphological examination of both adult males and females, for the first time, to our knowledge. A segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit one gene (COI) of S. ruficornis was amplified, and a sequence length of 817 bp was obtained and submitted to GenBank. The genitalia of both sexes and the diagnostic morphological characters of the species were examined and illustrated. In addition, the phylogenetic relationship of the Egyptian population of S. ruficornis was investigated. This study demonstrates the utility of DNA barcoding for investigating the genetic composition and variation of S. ruficornis populations and provides essential data for the identification of S. ruficornis in Egypt, which makes it possible to identify a specimen correctly even when only limited morphological evidence is available.