Molecular Diversity of Three Forensically Relevant Dipterans from Cadavers in Lahore, Pakistan.

Molecular diversity, which reflects variation in species abundance and genetic structure, plays a pivotal role in forensic entomology by enabling the accurate identification of insect evidence through tools such as DNA barcoding. In Pakistan, the absence of trained forensic entomologists and limited research on insect biodiversity hinder the effective use of entomological evidence in criminal investigations. Traditional morphological identification methods are insufficient for resolving complex forensic cases, particularly when dealing with immature insect stages. This highlights the urgent need for molecular approaches, such as DNA barcoding, to enhance species identification and genetic analysis of forensically relevant insects. This study uniquely focuses on evaluating the utility of a 658 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene for identifying dipteran species collected from cadavers in Lahore, Pakistan. The primary goal was to identify forensically relevant insect species, assess their genetic diversity and population structure, and compare these findings with global data to contextualize the results within forensic entomology. Three blow fly species were identified: