EFFECT OF SEASONAL TEMPERATURE VARIATION ON THE DURATION OF LIFE CYCLE STAGES OF THE FLY OF FORENSIC IMPORTANCE, PARASARCOPHGA DUX (THOMSON) (DIPTERA: SARCOPHAGIDAE).

Abstract

Sarcophagid flies belonging to carrion insect communities provide the information about the corps. Parasarcophaga dux (Thomson) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) collected from Latur district of Maharashtra (India) has been studied for the duration of different life cycle stages in three different seasons i.e. rainy, winter and summer seasons under the room temperature. The female released Ist instar larvae which after two larval mounts undergo prepupation and then pupation in the soil. The adult emerged out from pupae. During rainy season the life cycle duration from larvaeposite to emergence of adult was 315.15 ± 3.28 hrs, during winter season in 359.56 ± 2.44 hrs, while in summer season it took 265.51 ± 6.28 hrs, under the fluctuating diurnal temperature and humidity of the laboratory. The time durations of life cycle stages of P. dux in the different seasons can be used to determine the PMI using the meterological data and P. dux life cycle stages collected from the cadaver.