Genetic polymorphism and evolution in parthenogenetic animals. XII. Observations on Japanese polyploid curculionidae (coleoptera).

Abstract

Triploid and pentaploid individuals of Scepticus insularis, originating from Honshu and Hokkaido, as well as tetraploid individuals of Callirhopalus bifasciatus and Catapionus gracilicornis have been assayed by starch gel electrophoresis. All weevils were parthenogenetic females. The results indicate that there is variation within a parthenogenetic population and that different degrees of polyploidy appear identical. This indicates that the degrees of polyploidy in parthenogenetic weevils originate at abnormalities in spindle orientation as advocated by Takenouchi.