Short COI marker: A valuable tool for identification and phylogenetic analysis of 6 forensically important blow fly species from India

Abstract

There are complexrnmorphological differences in the species of blow flies associated with therndecomposing corpses in different habitats and environments. A thorough diligentrnexamination of each specimen is required for identifying them, as speciesrnassociated with an exposed corpse differ from those on the buried or burnt bodyrnor when the corpse is writhed after death. Molecular data serves as a lucrativerntool in identifying insect specimens, suitably when the specimens are damagedrnand their morphological identification is arduous. Mitochondrial cytochromernoxidase subunit I (COI) DNA of 6 blow fly species were analysed to studyrnits application value as the identification marker. The sequencing of a 350bp COIrngene of these six species was done, and the data was eventually analyzed.rnPhylogenetic tree was constructed based on UPGMA method and which showedrnsimilitude in phylogram pattern. Also thernsequences obtained for these species were compared with the sequences obtainedrnfor them in the other parts of the world for population studies.