Scanning Electron Microscopy to Identify Forensically Significant Calliphorid Flies

This study focuses on identifying forensically significant Calliphorid fly species using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For proper species identification, scanning electron microphotographs of the first, second, and third instar larvae of C. megacephala and C. rufifacies are obtained to identify the morphometric and micromorphological traits and differences using a JEOL-JSM840A scanning electron microscope. The pattern of the anterior field, the number of anterior and posterior spiracles of the larvae, the number of tubercles, the structure of the knob, the spiracular hairs, and the median sacrum, integument, and body spines were examined and presented as identification keys in the current study. This pioneering study introduces SEM-based identification keys, a breakthrough in the field.