Abstract
This roport contains descriptions of the karyotypes of 60 species of Syrphinae collected in South America, including five species for which the karyotypes have been deseribed previously. The 55 newly added South American species represent the tribes Syrphini (11), Bacchini (14), Melanostomini (11) and Toxomerini (19) with chromosome numbers ranging from 2n=6 to 18, including microchromosomes. The new results are integratod with our earlier observations on the karyotypes of over three hundred species of Syrphinae. With a few excoptions, the chromosome numbers of spocies are similar in frequencies in the two samples but TCL is lower in the South American sample of spocies. Most South American spocies have a pair of short, heteromorphic and apparently telocentric sex chromosomes but a few exceptional types of sex-chromosome mechanisms were found. Reductions in chromosome number can be explained by end-to-end fusions in some cases though reciprocal translocations may also be occurring. It would seem that functional dicentric chromosomes are produced, by either process, in which one centromere suppresses the other. Karyological evolution in Syrphinae tribes seems to have involved a progressive reduction of chromosome numbers, pericentric inversions and the accumulation of microchromosomes. The role of such processes in the karyological evolution of seven tribes (including the Pipizini) is considered briefly.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boyes, J. W. (1957). Somatic chromosomes of syrphid flies, Proc. Intern. Genet. Symp. 1956. Cytologia Suppl. 347–351.
Boves, J. W. (1959). Somatic chromosomes of syrphid flies. Can. J. Genet. Cytol. 1: 39–48.
Boyes, J. W. (1972). Pseudocentromeres of Syrphinae. Can. J. Genet. Cytol. 14: 721. (Abstract).
Boyes, J. W. & J. M.van Brink. (1964). Chromosomes of Syrphidae. I. Variations in karyotype. Chromosoma 15: 579–590.
Boyes, J. W. & J. M.van Brink. (1970). Chromosomes of Syrphidae. V. Microchromosomes. Chromosoma 31: 207–216.
Boyes, J. W. & J. M.van Brink. (1972). Chromosomes of Syrphidae VI. The tribe Pipisini. Genetica 43: 321–333.
Boyes, J. W., J. M. van Brink & B. C. Boyes. (1971). Chromosomes of Syrphinae (Diptera: Syrphidae). Misc. Publ. Genet. Soc. Can., 158 pp.
Boyes, J. W., J. M.van Brink & B. C. Mehta. (1968). Chromosomes of Syrphidae. IV. Karyotypes of fourteen species in the tribe Chrysotonini. Chromosoma 24: 233–242.
Hartley, J. C. (1961). A taxonomic account of the larvae of some British Syrphidae. Proc. sool. Soc. Lond. 136: 505–573.
Levan, A., K. Fredga & A. A. Sandberg. (1964). Nomenelature for centromeric positions on chromosomes. Hereditas 52: 201–220.
Metz, C. W. (1916). Chromosome studies on the Diptera II. The paired association of chromosomes in Diptera and its significance. J. Exp. Zool. 21: 213–280.
Vockeroth, J. R. (1969). A revision of the genera of the Syrphini (Diptera: Syrphidae). Mem. Entomol. Soc. Canada 62: 1–176.
Wirth, W. W., Y. S. Sedman & H. V. Weems Jr. (1965). The family Syrphidae. In: A. Stone et al. (Ed.) A catalog of the Diptera of America North of Mexico. USDA Agr. Handbook No. 276. Washington, D.C.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boyes, J.W., Boyes, B.C., van Brink, J.M. et al. Cytotaxonomy of South American Syrphinae (Diptera: Syrphidae). Genetica 44, 368–415 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00161313
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00161313