author(s)
Kritika Singh, Nidhi Rajput, KK Jadav, Rita Bhandari, Jayshree Sharma and KP Singh

abstract
Identification of fly maggots recovered from carcasses help in estimation of elapse time of death as well as forensic related aspects. Proper identity of recovered maggots may only be confirmed by sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA analysis. During the study period, the blowflies maggots were recovered from different carcasses of free ranging wild animals including leopards (Panthera pardus), hard ground swamp deer (Cervus duvaucelii branderi) and langur (Presbytis entellus) etc. Different instar of maggots were collected in silica gel and brought to the laboratory and washed through sterile water. The maggots (6-8) from individual carcass of wild animal were collected and stored in -70 ⁰C and then used for blowfly’s species identification. From each sample DNA was extracted using DNeasy Blood and Tissue kit and amplified for the Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene using commercially available specific primers. The PCR products were sequenced unidirectional and the sequence were aligned using BLAST. Results envisaged that the protected areas of Madhya Pradesh including tiger reserves and national parks have 2 types of blowfly species i.e. Chrysomya rufifacies and Hemipyrella ligurriens that attract earlier towards carcasses and lay eggs in orifices of the wild animal’s carcasses which develop later as maggots. The results are encouraging and helpful in strengthening of wildlife forensics.