Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of a rare unstable B-chromosome on chiasma frequency and nonhaploid sperm production in Dichroplus pratensis (Melanoplinae, Acrididae)

  • Published:
Genetica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three B-containing individuals of Dichroplus pratensis were found among 300 males collected in several Argentine localities. The B-chromosome is a partially euchromatic short telocentric and it is mitotically unstable. The B-chromosome number of testis cells ranged from 0 to 4 in two males and from 0 to 3 in the remaining one; this variation was inter- as well as intrafollicular. Meiotic behaviour of the Bs was very regular, association of Bs was usually chiasmate and no lagging univalents were observed during first division. The presence of Bs increased the production rate of abnormal spermatids and this effect was more pronounced in follicles with odd numbers of Bs. Chiasma frequency and between-cell variance were also increased in B-containing cells. A possible interaction between the Bs and the polymorphic centric fusions present in the species is discussed in relation to chiasma frequency determination.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bidau, C. J., 1984. Estudios citogenéticos en Orthoptera de Sudamérica. Ph.D. Thesis, Universidad de Buenos Aires.

  • Bidau, C. J., 1986a. A nucleolar-organizing B chromosome showing segregation-distortion in the grasshopper Dichroplus pratensis (Melanoplinae, Acrididae). Can. J. Genet. Cytol. 28: 138–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bidau, C. J., 1986b. Effects on cytokinesis and sperm formation of a B-isochromosome in Metaleptea brevicornis adspersa (Acridinae, Acrididae). Caryologia 39: 165–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bidau, C. L., 1986c. Geographic distributions of chromosome polymorphisms in Dichroplus pratensis Bruner (Melauoplinae, Aoudidae) in Argentina. Proc. 4th Trienn. Meeting, Pan Amer. Acridol. Soc. 165–166.

  • Bidau, C. J. & Confalonieri, V. A., 1986. A cytophotometric study of micro- and macrospermatids in three species of grasshoppers (Acrididae) Cytobios (in press).

  • Confalonieri, V. A. & Bidau, C. J., 1986. The B-chromosomes of two species of Cylindrotettix (Leptysminae, Acrididae). Genetica 68: 87–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosálvez, J., García de la Vega, C., Rufas, J. S. & López-Fernández, C., 1985. Unstable B-chromosomes producing abnormal spermatid nuclei in Sphingonotus coerulans (Orthoptera). Arch. Biol. 96 (in press).

  • Hewitt, G. M., 1973. Variable transmission rates of a B-chromosome in Myrmeleotettix maculatus (Thunb.) (Acrididae, Orthoptera). Chromosoma 40: 83–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt, G. M., 1979. Orthoptera. In: John, B. (ed.), Animal cytogenetics 3. Insecta 1. Borntraeger, Berlin-Stuttgart.

    Google Scholar 

  • John, B. & Henderson, S. A., 1962. Asynapsis and polyploidy in Schistocerca paranensis. Chromosoma 13: 111–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R. N. & Rees, H., 1982. B chromosomes. Academic Press, London-New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nur, U., 1969. Mitotic instability leading to an accumulation of B-chromosomes in grasshoppers. Chromosoma 52: 137–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothfels, K. & Procunier, B., 1975. The B-chromosomes of Neopodismopsis abdominalis (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Chromosoma 52: 137–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suja, J. A., Gosálvez, J., López-Fernández, C. & Rufas, J. S., 1985. A cytogenetic analysis in Psophus stridulus (Orthoptera: Acrididae). B-chromosomes and abnormal spermatid nuclei. Genetica (in press).

  • Suja, J. A., García de la Vega, C. & Rufas, J. S., 1986. Meiotic stability of B-chromosomes and production of macrospermatids in Aiolopus strepens (Orthoptera: Acrididae). (Submitted).

  • White, M. J. D., 1973. Animal cytology and evolution. 3rd Ed. Cambridge Univ. Press.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Genética, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428, Buenos Aires, República Argentina

    C. J. Bidau

Authors
  1. C. J. Bidau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bidau, C.J. Influence of a rare unstable B-chromosome on chiasma frequency and nonhaploid sperm production in Dichroplus pratensis (Melanoplinae, Acrididae). Genetica 73, 201–210 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00055275

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00055275

Keywords

Search

Navigation