Morphological and DNA-based identification of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) from Jeddah, Western Saudi Arabia.

backgroundHermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) is an economically important insect widely used in organic waste bioconversion, sustainable animal feed production, and biomaterial generation. Accurate identification is essential because morphology alone may be challenging during immature stages. This study integrated morphological characterization with DNA-based identification to provide baseline morphological and molecular characterization of H. illucens from the Jeddah region of western Saudi Arabia.

methodsAdult H. illucens were collected from organic waste-rich agricultural environments in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and reared under controlled laboratory conditions. Adult and larval morphology was documented using stereomicroscopy based on established diagnostic characters. DNA was extracted from larvae, and partial mitochondrial COI and nuclear 28 S rRNA regions were amplified using universal primers. Sequences were aligned with GenBank sequences, and phylogenetic analyses were performed using MEGA X.

resultsThe life cycle of H. illucens comprised egg, larva, prepupa, pupa, and adult stages. Adults showed characteristic morphological features, including a metallic black body, translucent abdominal windows, distinctive antennae, blue halteres, and sexual dimorphism of the terminalia. Larvae had an elongated, 11-segmented cylindrical body with a sclerotized head capsule and chewing mouthparts. Both COI and 28 S rRNA regions were successfully amplified and confirmed the specimens as H. illucens. COI sequences yielded 15 haplotypes and clustered with H. illucens sequences from Latin and South America, forming two clades.

conclusionIntegrating morphological examination with mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers provides a reliable framework for H. illucens identification and establishes baseline morphological and molecular reference data for Saudi Arabian populations.