Effect of clozapine on the development and morphometry of Sarcophaga ruficornis Fabricius (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and possible implications for forensic entomology

Abstract

The present study investigates the impact of clozapine on the development and morphometric parameters of Sarcophaga ruficornis Fabricius (Order Diptera, Family Sarcophagidae) among the different stages from egg to adult in Cairo, Egypt. Clozapine was administered in four different concentrations (25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/g), and its effect was compared to a control set. The results revealed a significant and concentration-dependent prolongation of the duration of the total life cycle. Moreover, clozapine influenced the duration of the various life stages and delayed the insect oviposition. Morphometric examination showed that larvae and pupae exposed to different concentrations of clozapine were significantly affected. Furthermore, clozapine-induced pupal mortality and morphological deformations, including incomplete adult emergence from pupae and abnormal wings in the newly emerged adults. These findings bring to light the adverse effects of clozapine on S. ruficornis, suggesting the presence of implications in the estimation of PMI in entomo-toxicological investigations.