title: Identification of forensically important sarcophagid flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) in China, based on COI and 16S rDNA gene sequences.
abstract: Insects attracted to cadavers may provide important indications of the postmortem interval (PMI). However, use of the flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) for PMI estimation is limited as the species are often not morphologically distinct, especially as immatures. In this study, 23 forensically important flesh flies were collected from 13 locations in 10 Chinese provinces. Then, a 278-bp segment of the cytochrome oxidase subunits one (COI) gene and a 289-bp segment of the 16S rDNA gene of all specimens were successfully sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequenced segments showed that all sarcophagid specimens were properly assigned into four species (Boerttcherisca peregrina [Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830], Helicophagella melanura [Meigen, 1826], Parasarcophaga albiceps [Meigen, 1826], and Parasarcophaga dux [Thompson, 1869]) with relatively strong supporting values, thus indicating that the COI and 16S rDNA regions are suitable for identification of sarcophagid species. The difference between intraspecific threshold and interspecific divergence confirmed the potential of the two regions for sarcophagid species identification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Yadong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jifeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yunfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qinlai
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xinghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Jifang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Jiangfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics*; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics*; D004772:Entomology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D058493:Sarcophagidae / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV