Evolutionary chromosomal differentiation among four species of Conoderus Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae, Conoderini) detected by standard staining, C-banding, silver nitrate impregnation, and CMA(3)/DA/DAPI staining

The speciose Brazilian Elateridae fauna is characterized by high karyotypic diversity, including one species (Chalcolepidius zonatus Eschscholtz, 1829) with the lowest diploid number within any Coleoptera order. Cytogenetic analysis of Conoderus dimidiatus Germar, 1839, C. scalaris (Germar, 1824,) C. ternarius Germar, 1839, and C. stigmosus Germar, 1839 by standard and differential staining was performed with the aim of establishing mechanisms of karyotypic differentiation in these species. Conoderus dimidiatus, C. scalaris, and C. ternarius have diploid numbers of 2n(male) = 17 and 2n(female) = 18, and a X0/XX sex determination system, similar to that encountered in the majority of Conoderini species. The karyotype of C. stigmosus was characterized by a diploid number of 2n=16 and a neoXY/neoXX sex determination system that was highly differentiated from other species of the genus. Some features of the mitotic and meiotic chromosomes suggest an autosome/ancestral X chromosome fusion as the cause of the neoXY system origin in C. stigmosus. C-banding and silver impregnation techniques showed that the four Conoderus species possess similar chromosomal characteristics to those registered in most Polyphaga species, including pericentromeric C band and autosomal NORs. Triple staining techniques including CMA(3)/DA/DAPI also provided useful information for differentiating these Conoderus species. These techniques revealed unique GC-rich heterochromatin associated with NORs in C. scalaris and C. stigmosus and CMA(3)-heteromorphism in C. scalaris and C. ternarius.

Diagnóstico de plagas y enemigos naturales en el cultivo del ajonjolí (Sesamum indicum L.) durante el ciclo 1997/1998 en cuatro comunidades del departamento de León, Nicaragua

Durante el año 1997 se realizó un diagnóstico para identificar las plagas y benéficos en el cultivo del ajonjolí durante las épocas de primera y postrera, estableciéndose parcelas en las comunidades Chacraseca, La Ceiba, Abangasca y Los Lechecuagos del departamento de León, Nicaragua.Se realizaron muestreos semanales, los métodos de muestreos utilizados fueron: Panas amarillas, trampas Pitfull, red entomológica así como muestreos de plagas de suelo usándose el método del pie cúbico. Además se cuantificó visualmente el porcentaje de plantas enfermas, identificándose el agente causal y se determinó a través de estimación visual el porcentaje de defoliación de las plantas. Al momento del emparve se realizó un análisis de la calidad de los granos. Los resultados obtenidos fueron 114 géneros de insectos encontrados de los cuales 69 géneros fitófagos, 38 géneros benéficos y siete géneros sin relación con el cultivo, los fitófugos que se presentaron con más frecuencia fueron Estigmene acrea, Spodoptera sunia, Trichoplusia ni, Diabrotica balteata, Cerotoma sp y chinches fitófagos como Nezara viridula, Euchistus sp, Stenocoris sp y Hyalimenus sp, al comparar la calidad de los granos secados en el campo y bajo condiciones controladas, después del análisis T- student los resultados indican que no hubo diferencias significativas entre ellos. Los insectos benéficos más frecuentes fueron los depredadores Polybia sp, Megacephala sp, Zelus sp, Sinea sp y arañas, los parasitoides se presentaron en menores poblaciones sobresaliendo Chelonus sp y Ophion sp, los insectos de suelo mas frecuentes fueron: Blapstinus sp, Epitragus sp, Phyllophaga sp y Conoderus sp. La época de primera presentó poblaciones insectiles más bajas que la época de postrera, pero en ambas épocas de siembra los fitófagos fueron mayores que los benéficos, las precipitaciones en la época de primera fueron de 33.3 mm promedio por mes y de 126 mm promedio por mes para la época de postrera. Las enfermedades presentes en el cultivo fueron Cercospora sesami y Macrophomina phaseoli, siendo la que se presentó con mayor intensidad C. sesami con un promedio máximo de plantas infectadas de 47.71 %en la etapa & y M phaseoli alcanzó un promedio de 31 %de plantas infectadas en la misma etapa fenológica. Se recomienda estudiar la biología y ecología de los insectos más importantes encontrados en este estudio, con el propósito de conocer su comportamiento durante las diferentes etapas fenológicas del cultivo y trazar mejores estrategias de manejo para las plagas del ajonjolí en Nicaragua.

Strategies of karyotype differentiation in Elateridae (Coleoptera, Polyphaga)

The chromosome study of five species of the family Elateridae, belonging to the subfamilies Agrypninae and Elaterinae, and the analysis of the cytogenetic data previously recorded for this family permitted the establishment of the main strategies of karyotypic differentiation that has occurred in the elaterids. In Agrypninae, the three species studied (Conoderus fuscofasciatus, Conoderus rufidens, and Conoderus sp.) showed the male karyotype 2n = 16 + X0. This karyotypic uniformity detected in these Conoderus species has also been shared with other species of the same genus, differing considerably from chromosomal heterogeneity verified in the subfamily Agrypninae. The use of the C-banding technique in C. fuscofasciatus and Conoderus sp. revealed constitutive heterochromatin in the pericentromeric region of the majority of the chromosomes. In C. fuscofasciatus, additional constitutive heterochromatin were also observed in the long arm terminal region of almost all chromosomes. Among the representatives of Elaterinae, the karyotype 2n = 18 + Xy(p) of Pomachilius sp.2 was similar to that verified in the majority of the Coleoptera species, contrasting with the chromosomal formula 2n = 18 + X0 detected in Cardiorhinus rufilateris, which is most common in the species of Elaterinae. In the majority of the elaterids, the chromosomal differentiation has frequently been driven by reduction of the diploid number; but, among the four cytogenetically examined subfamilies, there are some differences in relation to the trends of karyotypic evolution. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chromosomal similarities and differences among four Neotropical Elateridae (Conoderini and Pyrophorini) and other related species, with comments on the NOR patterns in Coleoptera

This work deals with the comparative cytogenetic analysis of four Neotropical Elateridae species and reviews the nucleolar organizer region (NOR) patterns on Coleoptera chromosomes, for the first time. The cytogenetic characterization of Conoderus malleatus (Conoderini), Pyrearinus candelarius, Pyrophorus divergens and Pyrophorus punctatissimus (Pyrophorini) was accomplished through the study of mitotic and meiotic cells submitted to standard (Giemsa) and differential staining [silver impregnation and GC-specific chromomycin A 3 (CMA 3) plus AT-specific 4′-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) fluorochromes]. The analysis of spermatogonial cells revealed the diploid numbers: 2n = 17 in C. malleatus and 2n = 15 in P. candelarius, P. divergens and P. punctatissimus. In these species, the X0 type sex-determination system and the acrocentric morphology of almost all chromosomes were observed. The study of meiotic cells of the four species revealed the occurrence of total synapsis between the autosomes, the presence of one terminal or interstitial chiasma in the majority of the bivalents, and the reductional behaviour and regular segregation of all chromosomes. Although the three Pyrophorini species demonstrated many similar karyotypical characteristics, there was one discrepancy, which was noted in the diplotene cells and concerns the number of bivalents with two chiasmata; P. candelarius only presented one bivalent, P. divergens showed two bivalents and P. punctatissimus exhibited up to four bivalents with two chiasmata. Testicular cells impregnated with silver nitrate demonstrated two terminal NORs located on the fourth autosomal pair of the Conoderini species and on the second autosomal pair of the three Pyrophorini representatives. Use of CMA 3/distamycin A (DA)/DAPI staining on the P. candelarius and P. punctatissimus chromosomes revealed that the CMA 3 labelled regions were coincident with the NORs. The main strategies of karyotypical differentiation that have occurred among the four Elateridae species and other related species, and the general trends of the NOR shifts during Coleoptera chromosomal evolution are discussed in this work. © 2007 The Authors.

Mecanismos de diferenciação cromossômica em 13 espécies de Elateridae (Coleoptera, polyphaga) estabelecidos através da análise de células mitóticas e meióticas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The southern potato wireworm : its biology and economic importance in coastal South Carolina /

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