Neotropical Entomology (2008) 37, 546-551

Ronan X. Corrêa, Sílvia G. Pompolo, Igor S. Santos, Janisete G. Silva and Marco A. Costa (2008)
Karyotype, heterochromatin distribution and meiosis of Zabrotes subfasciatus (Bohemann) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae)
Neotropical Entomology 37 (5), 546-551
Abstract: Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boh.) has been extensively studied in its agronomic and biochemical aspects due to its importance as a damaging insect to leguminous grains during storage. The few cytogenetic studies published on this species yielded conflicting results. In this study, the karyotype was analyzed in order to accurately describe the chromosome C-banding patterns and meiosis. The brain ganglion at the prepupa and the adult and pupal testes were analyzed. All individuals had 26 chromosomes in both brain ganglion and spermatogonic mitotic metaphases. These chromosomes were classified as follows: the 12^th pair and the Y chromosome were telocentric; the X chromosome was acrocentric; the 4^th and 5^th pairs were submetacentric; and the remaining pairs were all metacentric. One of the members of the 5^th pair presented a secondary constriction. All chromosomes presented pericentromeric heterochromatin. The large arms of the pairs 5, 9 and X presented heterochromatin. The X chromosome showed to be heteropyknotic throughout the prophase of the first meiotic division. The subphases of prophase I were atypical and meiosis II was rarely identified. Testes of all males showed a few cells; the bivalents were rod-like shaped in metaphase I. Karyological formulae were 2n = 24 + XX in females and 2n = 24 + XYp and either n = 12 + X or n = 12 + Y in males.
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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.
	Zabrotes subfasciatus