Geometric morphometrics analysis of forensically important Sarcophaga species

Geometric morphometrics is a method that offers a mathematical description of biological forms based on geometric definitions of their size and shape, enabling the discrimination between species. In this study, we aimed to utilize geometric morphometrics as a valuable tool for identifying Sarcophagidae species, a family of flies that are challenging to distinguish morphologically. We collected a total of 80 wings (both left and right) from male individuals representing nine species (Sarcophaga africa, Sarcophaga argyrostoma, Sarcophaga hirticrus, Sarcophaga jacobsoni, Sarcophaga lehmanni, Sarcophaga melanura, Sarcophaga pandellei, Sarcophaga portschinskyi, and Sarcophaga teretirostris). These wings were removed, mounted on microscope slides, photographed, and digitized using 15 landmarks. The results demonstrated effective differentiation among seven species, representing significant progress in the expedited identification of Sarcophaga species. Due to its speed, affordability, and user-friendly nature, the wing landmark-based geometric morphometrics, when combined with taxonomy, can enhance the robustness of Sarcophagidae analyses and prove to be useful for discriminating flesh flies in forensic contexts.