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Numerical and structural chromosome variation in the swarm-founding wasp Metapolybia decorata Gribodo 1896 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

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Abstract

The Neotropical Polistinae wasps are diverse in taxonomy, social behavior, and nesting founding characteristics. Although some species in this group have been used as models for studies on wasp’s biology, they are poorly known in terms of cytogenetics. Here we reported an intraspecific numerical-structural chromosome variation in the swarm-founding wasp Metapolybia decorata from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest using conventional and molecular cytogenetic techniques. The observed structural chromosome change involved a telomeric fusion that resulted in a chromosome number range of 2n = 34–36. The origin and geographic distribution of the variant chromosome forms as well as their frequency and maintenance in the studied populations are discussed. In addition, we reported a novel and geographically restricted deletion in the fused chromosomes indicating that the species is undergoing a continued process of karyotype evolution leading to fused chromosome stabilization by elimination of inactive centromeric sequences. Evidence of differences in the telomeric sequences of this wasp was also found by in situ hybridization using the motif (T2AG2)7 as probe.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Anthony Raw and Sergio Andena for species identification and Reserva Natural Vale for providing a collection permit in their area. Thanks are also due to Carter Robert Miller for his suggestions on an earlier version of the manuscript. This study was supported by CAPES (Coordenaçao de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) and FAPESB (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia).

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  1. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rod. Jorge Amado, Km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia, 45662-900, Brazil

    Rodolpho Santos Telles Menezes, Thiago Magalhães Silva, Antônio Freire Carvalho, Vanderly Andrade-Souza, Janisete Gomes Silva & Marco Antonio Costa

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  1. Rodolpho Santos Telles Menezes
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  2. Thiago Magalhães Silva
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  3. Antônio Freire Carvalho
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  4. Vanderly Andrade-Souza
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  5. Janisete Gomes Silva
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  6. Marco Antonio Costa
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Correspondence to Marco Antonio Costa.

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Menezes, R.S.T., Silva, T.M., Carvalho, A.F. et al. Numerical and structural chromosome variation in the swarm-founding wasp Metapolybia decorata Gribodo 1896 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Genetica 141, 273–280 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-013-9726-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-013-9726-5

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