Abstract
Megaselia scalaris (Loew), a scuttle fly, is a fly species of medical and forensic importance. For use in forensic investigation, fly specimens found to associate with human corpses have to be identified at species level. Herein, we present the morphology of the puparia of the above fly species using scanning electron microscopy. The characteristic of the intersegmental spines along the dorsal and lateral segments and sculpture of the pupal respiratory horn of this puparia may be useful in future studies, to distinguish it from other closely related species.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Budsabong Kuntalue and Anantachai Khumsayyai from the Electron Microscopy Research and Service Center (EMRSC), Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, for their technical assistance in using the SEM facilities. The Faculty of Medicine and Chiang Mai University are acknowledged for their financial support.
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Sukontason, K.L., Boonsriwong, W., Siriwattanarungsee, S. et al. Morphology of puparia of Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae), a fly species of medical and forensic importance. Parasitol Res 98, 268–272 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-0052-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-005-0052-4