Effect of diets on the developmental rate of calliphorid fly of forensic importance Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794)

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of diets on the morphological parameters of different developmental stages of blowflies Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794). Adult C. megacephala flies were collected from a goat cadaver and reared in the laboratory when the max and min temperature were 32 and 24 degrees C and the relative max and min humidity were ranged between 55 and 31% respectively. Blowflies at various feeding stages (first-, second-, and third-instar larvae) received different types of diets (meat, liver, fats, and mixed). The effects of the different diets on the life cycle duration and the morphological parameters of various stages were observed. The results revealed that the fat diet prolonged the post-mortem interval (PMI) up to 298.5 +/- 1.15 hrs, whereas the mixed food diet shortened PMI to the 243.67 +/- 0.12 hrs. Significant variation were observed at level (F = 740.71 df = 3P < 0.001). Furthermore, the mixed food diet significantly increased the morphological parameters (length, width, and weight) for almost all stages during the life cycle of blowflies. In contrast, the fat diet decreased these parameters to the lowest level. The present findings may provide a scientific basis for the determination of PMI.