An integrated DNA barcode dataset of carrion- and dung-associated Diptera from the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park

Necrophagous and coprophagous Diptera play key ecological roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling and have recently emerged as important carriers of invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) for non-invasive vertebrate monitoring. Despite their ecological and methodological importance, comprehensive molecular datasets for these taxa remain scarce, particularly in Southern Europe. Here, we present a DNA-barcoded dataset of Diptera collected in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (PNALM), one of the most important protected areas in the central Apennines of Italy. Specimens were collected using baited traps deployed across forest and pasture habitats, different protection zones, and three bait types during two sampling sessions. DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene generated high-quality sequences for 2,011 specimens, which were clustered into 211 Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) belonging to 31 families. The dataset includes specimen-level DNA barcode sequences, taxonomic assignments, haplotype information, and associated ecological metadata, including habitat, sampling zone, bait type, and sampling session. This integrated resource provides a valuable baseline for studies of Diptera biodiversity, community ecology, population genetics, and the development of iDNA-based monitoring approaches. Furthermore, it contributes to the expansion of DNA barcode reference libraries for carrion- and dung-associated Diptera from various families including Piophilidae, Muscidae, Fanniidae, Sphaeroceridae, and Anthomyiidae in Southern Europe and represents one of the most comprehensive datasets currently available for these ecologically important insect groups from a protected area in the region.