Research
Much research has been conducted using Lucilia coeruleiviridis and other Diptera of the Calliphoridae family. L. coeruleiviridis is particularly important in the use of forensic entomology (the relationship between the study of arthropods and the legal system) and more specifically medico-criminal entomology, which usually deals with death and decomposition of carrion. The behavior and life cycle of L. coeruleiviridis, such as the length of time it takes to arrive to carrion, lay eggs, and for those larvae to grow is used to aid scientists in determining the time elapsed after the death of a body. Because the time of colonization and reproduction of different types of blowflies is so important, and species-specific, scientists are looking for techniques to more efficiently distinguish between similar looking larvae of various species. One potential plan is to develop an antigen –based diagnostic test that uses Mitochondrial DNA. This type of DNA is preferred because of its “high copy number, ease of isolation, and conserved sequence across taxa with supposed high mutation regions making discrimination between species, and even sub-species possible.” Using lateral flow technology, an identified species-specific antigen is tested to determine whether the fly larva belongs to the predicted species.
Read more about this topic: Lucilia Coeruleiviridis
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