Abstract
We have studied mitotic and meiotic chromosomes in the males of two species of Blaps: B. gigas and B. gibba. Karyological characteristics such as the occurrence of a multivalent configuration at diakinesis and two types of metaphase-II spreads support the notion that multiple-chromosome sex systems involving five chromosomes in B. gigas and eight chromosomes in B. gibba have developed in these species. Results obtained by means of silver staining and C-banding techniques suggest that the complex sex systems occurring in B. gigas and B. gibba may have originated from exchanges of terminal ribosomal genes among the Y chromosome and some autosomes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carbone, P., R. Vitturi, E. Catalano & M. Macaluso, 1987. Chromosomes sex determination and Y-autosome fusion in Blennius tentacularis Brünnich 1965 (Pisces, Blennidae). J. Fish Biol. 31: 597–602.
Cardoso, H. & A. Dutra, 1979. The Neo-X Neo-Y sex pair in Acrididae, its structure and association. Chromosoma (Berl.) 70: 325–336.
Cardoso, H., F.A. Saez & N. Brum-Zorrilla, 1974. Location, structure and behaviour of C-haterochromatin during meiosis in Dichroplus silveiraguidoi (Acrididae, Orthoptera), Chromosoma (Berl.) 48: 51–64.
De Almeyda Toledo, L.F., H. Foresti & S.De Almeyda Toledo Filho, 1984. Complex sex chromosome system in Eigenmannia sp. (Pisces, Gymnotiformes), Genetica 64: 165–179.
Diaz, M.O. & F.A. Saez, 1968. DNA synthesis in the neo-X neo-Y sex determination system of Dichroplus bergi (Orthoptera, Acrididae). Chromosoma (Berl.) 24: 10–16.
Goldoni, D. & F. Fontana, 1991. Localization of silver positive structures in mitotic and meiotic chromosomes of Kalotermes flavicollis (Fabr.) (Isoptera Kalotermitidae), Ethol. Ecol. & Evol., Special Issue 1: 25–27.
Gorman, G.C., L. Atkins & T. Hilzinger, 1967. New karyotypic data on 15 genera of lizards in the family Iguanidae with a discussion of taxonomic and cytological implications. Cytogenetics 6: 286–299.
Guenin, H.A., 1949. L'evolution de lar formule chromosomique dans le genre Blaps (Coleopt. Tenebr.) Rev. Suisse Zool. 56: 336.
Haaf, T. & M. Schmid, 1984. An early stage of ZW/ZZ sex chromosome differentiation in Poecilia sphenops var. melanistica (Poecillidae, Cyprinodontiformes). Chromosoma (Berl.) 89: 37–41.
Hernandez-Verdun, D., 1991. The nucleolus today. J. Cell Sci. 99: 465–471.
Hernandez-Verdun, D., P. Roussel & T. Gautier, 1993. Nucleolar proteins during mitosis. Chromosomes Today. A.T. Summer and A.C. Chandley Eds., London, Chapman & Hall, pp. 79–90.
Howell, W.M. & D.A. Black, 1980. Controlled silver-staining of nucleolus organizer regions with a protective colloidal developer; a 1-step method. Experientia: 1014–1015.
John, B. & K.R. Lewis, 1960. Nucleolar controlled segregation of the sex chromosomes in beetles. Heredity (Lond.) 15: 431–439.
John, B., 1976. Myths and mechanisms of melosis. Chromosoma (Berl.) 54: 295–325.
Jones, K.W., 1989. Inactivation phenomena in the evolution and functions of sex chromosomes. In: Evolutionary mechanisms in sex determination (S.S. Wachtel, ed.) Fla: CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 69–90.
Kasahara, S., Y. Yonenaga-Yassuda & R.A. Schincariol, 1983, Chromosome mechanisms of sex determination, G-and C-band patterns of nucleolus organizer regions in Tropidurus torquatus (Sauria, Iguanidae). Genetica 60: 151–156.
Levan, A., K. Fredga & A.A. Sandberg, 1964. Nomenclature for centromeric position of chromosomes. Hereditas 52: 201–220.
Lewis, K.R. & B. John, 1957. The organization and evolution of the sex multiple system in Blaps mucronata, Chromosome 9: 69–80.
Mckee, B.D., L. Habera & J.L. Verna, 1992. Evidence that the intergenic spacers of Drosophila melanogaster rDNA genes function as X-Y pairing sites in male meiosis and a general model for achiasmatic psiring. Genetics 132: 529–544.
Morescalchi, A., 1992. Chromosomes, sex determination and environment in teleosteans. In: Sex, origin and evolution, 1st edn. (R. Dallal, ed.) Modena, Mucchi, pp. 137–149.
Moresealchi, A., J.C. Hureau, E. Olmo, C. Ozouf-Costaz, E. Pissno & R. Stanyon, 1992. A multiple sex-chromosome system in antarctic ice-fishes. Polar Biol. 11: 655–661.
Nonidez, J.F., 1915. Estudios sobre las células sexuales. I. Los cromosomas goniales y las mitosis de maturation en Biaps lusitanica y B. waltli. Mem. R. Soc. Esp. His. Nat. 10: 149–150.
Ohao, S., 1967. Sex chromosomes and sex-linked genes. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag.
Olmo, E., G. Odierna & T. Capriglione, 1987, Evolution of sex chromosomes in lacertid lizards. Chromosoma (Beri.) 96: 33–38.
Pezold, F., 1984. Evidence for multiple sex chromosomes in the freshwater goby Gobionellus shufeldti (Pisces: Gobiidas), Copeia 1: 235–238.
Porta, A., 1934. Fauna coleopterorum italica. Vol. IV, Heteromora-Phytophags. Piacenza, 415 pp.
Singh, L., I.F. Purdom & K.W. Jones, 1976. Satellite DNA and evolution of sex chromosomes. Chromosoma (Berl.) 59: 43–62.
Singh, L., I.F. Purdom & K.W. Jones, 1980. Sex chromosomes associated statellite DNA: evolution and conservation. Chromosoma (Berl.) 79: 137–157.
Sola, L., P.J. Monaco & E.M. Rasch, 1990. Cytogenties of bisexual/unisexual species of Poecilia. 1. C-bands, Ag-NOR polymerphism, and sex chromosomes in three populations of Poecilia latipinna. Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 53: 148–154.
Solari, A.J. & T. Ashley, 1977. Ultrastructure and behaviour of the achiasmatic telosynaptic XY pair of the sand rat Psammomys obesus. Chromosoma (Berl.) 62: 319–336.
Summer, A.T., 1972. A simple technique for demonstrating centromeric heterochromatin. Expl. Cell Res. 75: 304–306.
Vitturi, R., 1992. Conventionally stained chromosomes, constitutive heterochromatin and nucleolar organizer regions in Milax nigricans (Gastropoda, Pulmonata). Chromatin 1: 147–155.
Vitturi, R., E. Catalano, D. Colombera, A.L. Avils & A. Fuca, 1993. Multiple sex chromosome system and other karyological characterizations of Pterotrachea hyppocampus (Mollusca: Mesogastropoda). Mar. Biol. 115: 581–585.
Wahrman, J., R. Nezer & O. Freund, 1973. Multiple sex chromosome mechanism with ‘segregation bodies’. Chromosomes Today 4: 434.
White, M.J.D., 1973. Animal cytology and evolution, 3rd ed. London: Cambridge Univ. Press.
Wright, J.W., 1973. Evolution of the X1 X2 Y sex chromosome mechanism in the scincid lizard Seincella laterale (Say) Chromosoma (Berl.) 43: 101–108.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vitturi, R., Catalano, E., Sparacio, I. et al. Multiple-chromosome sex systems in the darkling beetles Blaps gigas and Blaps gibba (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae). Genetica 97, 225–233 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00054629
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00054629