Photographic map of the polytene chromosomes of Cochliomyia hominivorax

Abstract.  Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is one of the most important myiasis-causing flies and is responsible for severe economic losses to the livestock industry throughout the Neotropical region. A polytene chromosome map is an invaluable tool for the genetic analysis and manipulation of any species because it allows the integration of physical and genetic maps. Cochliomyia hominivorax has a diploid number of 12 chromosomes (2 n  = 12): five pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes (XX/XY), which do not polytenize. We created a new photomap of the polytene chromosomes of C. hominivorax describing its five autosomes (chromosomes 2–6). Pupal trichogen cells, which have chromosomes with a high degree of polytenization, were used to elaborate this map. The photomap was made by comparing 20 different nuclei and choosing, for each chromosome segment, the region with the highest resolution. Thus, we present a new photomap of the five autosomes of this species, with a total resolution of 1450 bands.