Supplementary notes on the cyto-taxonomy of mantids (Orthoptera: Mantoidea)

Summary

• 1. Chromosome number, sex chromosome mechanism and the salient features of male meiosis have been determined for the following neotropical mantids:Promiopteryx granadensis (Sauss.),Thesprotia filum (Licht.),Thesprotia graminis (Scudder),Tithrone roseipennis (Sauss.),Acanthops falcata Stol,Oxyopsis rubicunda (Stol); and the female diploid number forAcontiothespis multicolor (Sauss.). This adds one more subfamily of mantids, theMiopteriginae, to the list for which cytological information is now available, and gives the first data on meiosis for two others—the Oligonicinae and theEpaphroditinae.

• 2. The subfamilyMiopteriginae, as exemplified byPromiopteryx, is characterized by the XO-XX sex mechanism and in male meiosis by prolongation of parallel pairing, non-chiasmate bivalent structure and absence of the pre-metaphase stretch stage; close correspondence with thePseudomiopteriginae is evident. Relatively low number and small size of chromosomes give a total chromosomal content approximately half that found in X¹X²Y manteine karyotypes. The possibility of a polyploid relation is discussed.

• 3. Oxyopsis, presently assigned to theVatinae, is shown to belong to the natural group of genera characterized by possession of the compound X¹X²Y sex chromosome mechanism; cytologically it is most closely associated withStagmatoptera of theManteinae.