Abstract
Oestrus ovis L. (O. ovis) (Diptera: Oestridae) (Sheep Bot Fly) is ubiquitous in distribution. Myiasis causing larvae collected from Abu-Arish area (Eastern Jazan), Saudi Arabia were confirmed as O. ovis based on morphological traits. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies targeting amplification of partial fragment (606 bp) of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunitI (mtCOI) gene further confirmed the species. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial (mtCOI) gene sequence revealed that the accession KU921431 showed 97% similarity based on nucleotide pairs of O.ovis accessions, retrieved from the GenBank. Thus, a method of molecular identification of O.ovis larvae was established as a credible substitution to morphological identification in Jazan region, Saudi Arabia.