PLoS ONE (2013) 8 (7 - e68241)

Sofia G. Seabra, Patricia G. Brás, Vera Zina, Elsa Borges da Silva, Maria Teresa Rebelo, Elisabete Figueiredo, Zvi Mendel, Octávio S. Paulo and José Carlos Franco (2013)
Molecular evidence of polyandry in the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)
PLoS ONE 8 (7 - e68241)
Abstract: The occurrence of polyandry in Planococcus citri, presumed by earlier observations of mating behavior, was confirmed using microsatellite genotyping of pools of over 400 eggs resulting from controlled crosses of one female with two males. The genetic contribution of both mated males was confirmed in 13 out of 43 crosses. In three crosses it was possible to determine that only the first male fertilized the eggs, which may be due to sperm competition or unviable sperm supply. The microsatellite analysis also allowed the confirmation of aspects of the chromosomal inheritance detected previously in cytogenetic studies in Planococcus citri, namely that only one of the alleles is transmitted by the male, indicating that the males are functionally haploid, supporting the observation of Paternal Genome Elimination (PGE) in these insects.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Vera Zina, José Carlos Franco, Zvi Mendel, Elsa Borges da Silva

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Planococcus citri	Citrus (genus)	Italy
	Planococcus citri	Citrus (genus)	Portugal (continental)