MEIOSIS IN DIABROTICA (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE): CHIASMA FREQUENCY AND VARIATION

Abstract

Fifteen species of Diabrotica have been examined cytologically. Except for the variable presence of supernumeraries in three of the species, the karyotype is uniform throughout, with 18 meta- or submetacentric autosomes and an XX ♂: XO ♀ sex-determining mechanism. Chiasma frequency is quite variable; in addition to the basic nine per cell, formation of a second chiasma (in the other arm) results in ring frequencies ranging from zero to nine per cell. Analysis of chiasma frequency and distribution at diakinesis and metaphase reveals that the rings are bi-chiasmate and not the result of ectopic pairing. With this in mind, chiasma formation is discussed in terms of interference. Intra-arm interference is complete; the upper limit of chiasmata per arm is invariably one. The strength of interference across the centromere determines the probability of formation of a chiasma in the other arm. When interference is strong, a second chiasma is rarely formed; as interference weakens, a chiasma is more easily formed in the other arm, resulting in a higher chiasma frequency. Associated with decreasing interference and an elevated chiasma frequency is an increase in cell variance; chiasma formation is less rigorously controlled, and variability in the number of rings per cell increases. The variability of ring formation in the genus militates against distinguishing taxa on this basis. However, the importance of increased chiasma frequency (coupled as it is with greater variance) resides in its influence on the genetic plasticity and adaptive potential of the species.