Meiotic chromosome analysis of the giant water bug, Lethocerus indicus

作者：Wisoram Wijit; Saengthong Pradit; Ngernsiri Lertluk^*

来源：Journal of Insect Science, 2013, 13: 39.

• chromosome univalent
• holocentric chromosome

The giant water bug, Lethocerus indicus (Lepeletier and Serville) (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae), a native species of Southeast Asia, is one of the largest insects belonging to suborder Heteroptera. In this study, the meiotic chromosome of L. indicus was studied in insect samples collected from Thailand, Myanmar, Loas, and Cambodia. Testicular cells stained with lacto-acetic orcein, Giemsa, DAPI, and silver nitrate were analyzed. The results revealed that the chromosome complement of L. indicus was 2n = 22A + neo-XY + 2m, which differed from that of previous reports. Each individual male contained testicular cells with three univalent patterns. The frequency of cells containing neo-XY chromosome univalent (similar to 5%) was a bit higher than that of cells with autosomal univalents (similar to 3%). Some cells (similar to 0.5%) had both sex chromosome univalents and a pair of autosomal univalents. None of the m-chromosome univalents were observed during prophase I. In addition, this report presents clear evidence about the existence of m-chromosomes in Belostomatidae.

• 出版日期2013-5-13