KAROLOGICAL STUDIES ON SEVEN SPECIES OF SCARABAEIDAE (COLEOPTERA)
J. S. YADAV *
Department of Zoology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra 132 119, India
A. S. YADAV *
Department of Zoology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra 132 119, India
J. SINGH *
Department of Zoology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra 132 119, India
S. MALIK *
Department of Zoology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra 132 119, India
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Karyological investigations were carried out on seven scarab species viz., Aphodius moestus F. and Aphodius sp., belonging to subfamily Aphodiinae and Onitis falcatus Wulf, O. subopacus Arrow, Oniticellus pallipes (F), O. pallens Ol. and Onthophagus quadridentatus F. belonging to subfamily Coprinae. All the species possess modal polyphagan karyotype 2n = 20 (9AA+XΥp). The mean chiasma frequency per nucleus was maximum (18.0) in O. falcatus and minimum (9.20) in Aphodius species. Spermatozoa per bundle varied from 64-128 in different species. The karyotypic details, behaviour of chromosomes during cell division and spermatozoa per bundle have been discussed.
Keywords: Coleopera, Scarabaeidae, Karyotype, Meio-formula, Chiasma frequency, Spermatozoa