Cytogenetics of Helops glabriventris Reitter, 1885 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini)

Abstract

In this study, the karyotype and chromosomal features of darkling beetle Helops glabriventris Reitter, 1885 from Western Anatolia were analyzed using conventional and differential staining. Diploid chromosome number of H. glabriventris was determined as 2n = 20 with 9 + Xyp meioformula. The parachute formation of sex bivalents was clearly observed in both prophase I and metaphase I plates. Both conventionally and differentially stained plates showed that relatively small amounts of heterochromatin are dispersed throughout the whole length of the chromosomes. As a result of silver staining, the existence of a highly impregnated area associated with a small submetacentric chromosome in prophase I, suggests autosomal location of NOR. Although presented karyotype of H. glabriventris resemble to those of other members of the tribe Helopini and follows the common patterns of tenebrionid karyotypes, slight differences in chromosome morphologies, NORs and the heterochromatin distribution were detected.

Keywords

• cytogenetics
• tenebrionidae
• helopini
• helops glabriventris
• nor
• sex chromosomes
• heterochromatin