Egg size increases with maternal age in the cotton stainer bugs Dysdercus fasciatus and D.cardinalis (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae)

Abstract.

• 1 Egg-size variation over the reproductive span of laboratory-reared females is described in two species of cotton stainers: Dysdercus fasciatus Sign. from woody Malvales and D.cardinalis Gerst. from herbaceous Malvales.
• 2 Egg size increases with maternal age due to a decrease in clutch size as maternal age advances in both species.
• 3 The two species are similar in size, but egg size is about 28% larger and clutch size about 19% smaller in D.fasciatus than in D.cardinalis. These contrasts may be related to the host-plant biology which differs between the two species.

     

Cytogenetic studies in the genus Zea

Summary Premeiotic colchicine treatment brings about the production of one to five quadrivalents in Zea mays ssp. mays (maize, 2n=20) and an increase in the number of quadrivalents from five to ten in Zea perennis (2n=40). The results confirm the allotetraploid nature of maize and suggest that the species possesses two homoeologous genomes (A2A2 B2B2) that fail to pair, probably due to the presence of Ph-like genes. Moreover, the autoallooctoploid nature of Zea perennis, with a genome formula A1A1 A1A1 C1C1 C2C2, is supported by the present results.     

Cytogenetic studies in the genus Zea

Summary New cytological evidence supporting x = 5 as the basic chromosome number of the genus Zea has been obtained as a consequence of our analysis of the meiotic configurations of Zea mays ssp. mays, Z. diploperennis, Z. perennis and of four F₁ artificial interspecific hybrids. Z. mays ssp. mays (2n = 20) presents regular meiosis with 10 bivalents (II) and is considered here as a typical allotetraploid (A₂A₂B₂B₂). In Z. diploperennis (2n = 20) 10II are formed in the majority of the cells, but the formation of 1III + 8II + 1I or 1III + 711 + 3I in 4% of the cells would indicate its segmental allotetraploid nature (A₁A₁B₁B₁). Z. perennis (2n = 40) had 5IV + 10II in 55% of the cells and would be considered as an auto-allooctoploid (A₁A₁A'₁A'₁C₁C₁C₂C₂). Z. diploperennis x Z. mays ssp. mays (2n = 20) presents 10II in ca. 70% of the cells and no multivalents are formed. In the two 2n = 30 hybrids (Z. mays ssp. mays x Z. perennis and Z. diploperennis x Z. perennis) the most frequent meiotic configuration was 5III + 5II + 5I and in 2n = 40 hybrid (Z. diploperennis x Z. perennis) was 5IV + 10II. Moreover, secondary association was observed in the three abovementioned tetraploid taxa (2n = 20) where one to five groups of two bivalents each at diakinesis-metaphase I was formed showing the affinities between homoeologous genomes. The results, as a whole, can be interpreed by assuming a basic x = 5 in this polyploid complex. The main previous contributions that support this working hypothesis are reviewed and its phylogenetic implications studied are discussed.     

Cytogenetic studies in the genus Zea

Summary The nuclear DNA amount and the heterochromatin content in species and hybrids of Zea were analyzed in telophase nuclei (2C) of the root apex of germinating seeds. The results revealed significant differences among taxa and also among lines and races of maize. The hybrids between Z. mays ssp. mays x Z. mays ssp. mexicana (2n=20), Z. diploperennis x Z. perennis (2n=30), and Z. diploperennis x Z.perennis (2n=40) showed DNA content intermediate between that of the parents. The number of chromosomal C-bands and the proportion of the genome comprising C-band heterochromatin were positively related to genome size. In the different lines and races of maize studied, there was a positive correlation between genome size and the interval from germination to flowering. Octoploid Z. perennis (2n=40) showed the smallest DNA content per basic genome and the smallest heterochromatic blocks, suggesting that the DNA lost by this species consisted mainly of repetitive sequences. Considering that the extant species of Zea are tetraploid (2n=20) and octoploid (2n=40) and that the ancestral diploids are extinct, any consideration of the direction (increase or decrease) of the DNA change would be entirely speculative. The extant species could be the product of natural and artificial selection acting on different genotypic and nucleotypical constitutions at the diploid and/or tetraploid levels.     

Microbial community of predatory bugs of the genus Macrolophus(Hemiptera: Miridae)

Background

The predatory mirids of the genus Macrolophus are key natural enemies of various economically important agricultural pests. Both M. caliginosus and M. pygmaeus are commercially available for the augmentative biological control of arthropod pests in European greenhouses. The latter species is known to be infected with Wolbachia -inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility in its host- but the presence of other endosymbionts has not been demonstrated. In the present study, the microbial diversity was examined in various populations of M. caliginosus and M. pygmaeus by 16S rRNA sequencing and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.

Results

Besides Wolbachia, a co-infection of 2 Rickettsia species was detected in all M. pygmaeus populations. Based on a concatenated alignment of the 16S rRNA gene, the gltA gene and the coxA gene, the first is phylogenetically related to Rickettsia bellii, whereas the other is closely related to Rickettsia limoniae. All M. caliginosus populations were infected with the same Wolbachia and limoniae-like Rickettsia strain as M. pygmaeus, but did not harbour the bellii-like Rickettsia strain. Interestingly, individuals with a single infection were not found. A PCR assay on the ovaries of M. pygmaeus and M. caliginosus indicated that all endosymbionts are vertically transmitted. The presence of Wolbachia and Rickettsia in oocytes was confirmed by a fluorescence in situ hybridisation. A bio-assay comparing an infected and an uninfected M. pygmaeus population suggested that the endosymbionts had minor effects on nymphal development of their insect host and did not influence its fecundity.

Conclusion

Two species of the palaearctic mirid genus Macrolophus are infected with multiple endosymbionts, including Wolbachia and Rickettsia. Independent of the origin, all tested populations of both M. pygmaeus and M. caliginosus were infected with three and two endosymbionts, respectively. There was no indication that infection with endosymbiotic bacteria had a fitness cost in terms of development and fecundity of the predators.

     

Autecological studies of the genus Porphyra

Among the algal associations of exposed northern shores in Britain, those formed by species of the genus Porphyra deserve greater recognition than has so far been accorded to them. The present paper discusses some of the taxonomic criteria of this plastic genus and delimits five species which are widespread on northern British shores.     

Numerical taxonomic studies of the genus Notholca

The genus Notholca has been subjected to taxonomic analysis, using cluster analysis and ordination by principal coordinates analysis, based on 67 phenetic characters. All analyses converge on essentially identical groupings, but fail to inject new hypotheses to remedy the confusing and overlapping taxonomy of the genus. This shortcoming is ascribed to the incompleteness of the character set which currently lacks biochemical and genetic parameters. We suggest to invalidate the subspecies' of N. striata into a single species and consider the pros and cons combining N. haueri and N. latistyla.     

蚜虫迁飞的研究进展

蚜虫的迁飞能造成危害扩展、病毒病传播和防碍人们的正常生活。蚜虫迁飞有其生理生态基础。寄主营养、蚜群拥挤度、天敌以及气候条件是刺激有翅蚜产生的主因素。蚜虫迁飞与卵巢发育存在明显的共轭关系。蚜虫迁飞多发生在晴朗的白天 ,并且温度、光照和风是影响迁飞行为的主导因子。蚜虫可上升到逆温层并随气流迁飞到上百公里以外的地方。目前 ,昆虫雷达观察、天气学分析和分子生物学方法已应用于蚜虫迁学的研究中 ,文章对蚜虫迁飞的生理生态基础、迁飞行为、影响迁飞的生态因子以及研究方法进行了综述 ,以期为蚜虫这类小型昆虫的迁飞研究提供指导     

Taxonomic studies of the genus Hypoxis in East Africa

East African material of the genus Hypoxis L. has preliminarily been divided into the heterogenous, probably apomictic H. obtusa Burch- complex (2n = 40–50, ca. 75, 76, ca. 85, >86, ca. 92, ca. 98, ca. 108, 130–135, 160–200) and 5 rather homogenous species: H. angustifolia Lam. (2n = 14, 28), H. goetzei Harms (2n = ca. 62), H. kilimanjarica Bak., H. malosana Bak. (2n = 14) and H. macrocarpa Holt & Staubo sp. nov. H. kilimanjarica is divided into ssp. kilimanjarica and ssp. prostrata Holt & Staubo ssp. nov.     

Cytogenetic studies in the sub-section Halepensia of the genus Sorghum

Summary Salient morphological characters of seven interspecific hybrids were studied and compared with their respective parental species. The dominance relationship of several qualitative characters were also determined.Based on cytological findings from species and species hybrids, the interrelationships among the parental species involved were discussed. The data obtained suggest a closer relationship between S. almum and S. halepense and also show that S. miliaceum and S. cotroversum do not differ from each other nor from S. halepense. It is suggested that these Halepensia Sorghum varieties are more or less closely related and they may be geographical races of one and the same species. The nature of ploidy of these 40-chromosomed species was determined and the probable role of some 20-chromosomed species in the origin of the former is discussed.

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Zusammenfassung An 7 interspezifischen Hybriden der Subsection Halepensia der Gattung Sorgum wurden hervorstechende morphologische Merkmale untersucht und mit denen der betreffenden Elternarten verglichen. Für einige qualitative Merkmale wurden außerdem die Dominanz-Beziehungen festgestellt.Auf der Grundlage der cytologischen Untersuchung von Arten und Arthybriden wurden die Beziehungen zwischen den jeweiligen Elternarten diskutiert. Die erhaltenen Ergebnisse deuten auf eine engere Verwandtschaft zwischen S. almum und S. halepense und zeigen weiterhin, daß S. miliaceum and S. controversum sich nicht voneinander und auch nicht von S. halepense unterscheiden. Es wird angenommen, daß diese Halepensia-Sorgum-Arten mehr oder weniger eng verwandt und wohl geographische Rassen ein und derselben Art sind.Die Art der Polyploidie dieser 40chromosomigen Arten wurde bestimmt; die mögliche Rolle einiger 20chromosomiger Arten bei ihrer Entstehung wird besprochen.

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These studies were largely undertaken at the Division of Botany, I.A.R.I., New Delhi where the authors were previously located. They are, therefore, grateful to the Director, I.A.R.I., Dean of P. G. School and Head of the Division of Botany for their keen interest and facilities. One of us (R.S.S.) is grateful to C.S.I.R. for the award of a Senior research fellowship during the course of the study. One of us (M.A.T.) is also thankful to the Director of Agriculture (Department of Agriculture), Government of Maharashtra for encouragement during the course of this investigation. Cooperation of C.T.C.R.I., Trivandrum and Rockefeller Foundation, I.A.R.I. is also hereby acknowledged.