First report on chromosomes of Aeolosoma viride and Aeolosoma hemprichi (Aeolosomatidae; Annelida)

Aeolosomatidae are meiofaunal Annelida characterised by small size and almost exclusively asexual reproduction. This study is the first report on the chromosome morphology of two Aeolosomatidae species. Giemsa staining method and Propidium Iodide labelling were performed. The somatic chromosome number of Aeolosoma viride was 2n=30 with many metacentric elements. Decidedly different is A. hemprichi which shows ~70 small chromosomes with a dot like appearance. Chromosome repatternings such as Robertsonian fusions and pericentric inversions were suggested for the karyotype evolution of these species. The fixation of such repatternings is ensured by the clonal chromosome transmission in asexual reproduction

Taxonomy and phylogeny of European Monochamus species: First molecular and karyological data

The worldwide distributed genus Monochamus Megerle, 1821 (Coleoptera Cerambicydae) comprises beetles that may become pests of economic importance in conifer stands in the Nearctic and Palearctic Regions. Besides direct damage due to the larval tunnelling habits, they have also been recognized as main vectors of the phytoparasitic nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner & Buhrer, 1934) (Nematoda Aphelenchoididae). We analysed the complete mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene and a fragment of the small subunit RNA gene sequences (1536 base pairs) in the five European species. These are: Monochamus galloprovincialis (Olivier, 1795), morphologically distinguished in two subspecies M. galloprovincialis galloprovincialis (Olivier, 1795) and M. galloprovincialis pistor (Germar, 1818): Monochamus sutor (Linneus 1758); Monochamus saltuarius (Gebler 1830); Monochamus sartor (Fabricius, 1787) and Monochamus urussovi (Fischer, 1806). For appropriate comparisons, also the Asiatic Monochamus alternatus Hope, 1842 and a Japanese M. saltuarius sample have been analysed. Both genes show an absolute identity between the two subspecies of M. galloprovincialis and a strong affinity between M. sartor and M. urussovi: the morphological subdivisions of the former taxon in two subspecies and of the latter in two entities of specific level are therefore not supported genetically. On the other hand, the Italian and the Japanese samples of M. saltuarius always cluster together in all trees, and for the remaining taxa, no doubt about their rank of specific differentiation emerges from present analyses. From a phyletic point of view, tree topology indicates the Japanese M. alternatus as the most differentiated taxon and the Euroasiatic M. saltuarius as basal to all other strictly European entities. Chromosome analyses show that the diploid autosomal complement ranges from 18 in M. saltuarius to 20 in M. galloprovincialis, and 22 in M. sartor, but a XX-Xyp sex determining system is shared by all analysed taxa. The M. saltuarius karyotype appears as the most primitive from which the others may be derived through Robertsonian fissions. Karyological data therefore agree with molecular analyses in indicating a basal position of Euroasiatic M. saltuarius with respect to the group of European Monochamus taxa; among these, M. galloprovincialis and M. sartor represent two clearly diverging evolutionary units. Furthermore, karyotype analyses substantiate molecular conclusions about the identity between M. galloprovincialis galloprovincialis and M. galloprovincialis pistor

CYTOLOGY OF PARTHENOGENESIS IN BACILLUS-WHITEI AND BACILLUS-LYNCEORUM (INSECTA, PHASMATODEA)

We investigated the maturation divisions of two obligate parthenogenetic natural interspecific hybrids: the diploid B. whitei and the triploid B. lynceorum. B. whitei shows two maturation divisions which produce 4 viable haploid nuclei. At the telophase II two non-sister nuclei come into contact and fuse to restore the diploid chromosome number and the maternal genetic structure. On the other hand, in the triploid B. lynceorum, pachytenic oocytes undergo an extra DNA doubling which allows the formation of a somatic number of autobivalents. Two divisions in rapid succession result in a pronucleus with the somatic number of unistranded chromosomes and two quickly degenerating polar bodies: this mechanism maintains the maternal cytological and genetic structure in the offspring. These cytological findings fully support the genetic features ascertained for the two hybrids and provide evidence of their different and very likely independent meiotic adaptations to parthenogenetic reproduction

Taxonomy and phylogeny of European Monochamus species: first molecular and karyological data.

The worldwide distributed genus Monochamus Megerle, 1821 (Coleoptera Cerambicydae) comprises beetles that may become pests of economic importance in conifer stands in the Nearctic and Palearctic Regions. Besides direct damage due to the larval tunnelling habits, they have also been recognized as main vectors of the phytoparasitic nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner & Buhrer, 1934) (Nematoda Aphelenchoididae). We analysed the complete mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene and a fragment of the small subunit RNA gene sequences (1536 base pairs) in the five European species. These are: Monochamus galloprovincialis (Olivier, 1795), morphologically distinguished in two subspecies M. galloprovincialis galloprovincialis (Olivier, 1795) and M. galloprovincialis pistor (Germar, 1818); Monochamus sutor (Linneus 1758); Monochamus saltuarius (Gebler 1830); Monochamus sartor (Fabricius, 1787) and Monochamus urussovi (Fischer, 1806). For appropriate comparisons, also the Asiatic Monochamus alternatus Hope, 1842 and a Japanese M. saltuarius sample have been analysed. Both genes show an absolute identity between the two subspecies of M. galloprovincialis and a strong affinity between M. sartor and M. urussovi: the morphological subdivisions of the former taxon in two subspecies and of the latter in two entities of specific level are therefore not supported genetically. On the other hand, the Italian and the Japanese samples of M. saltuarius always cluster together in all trees, and for the remaining taxa, no doubt about their rank of specific differentiation emerges from present analyses. From a phyletic point of view, tree topology indicates the Japanese M. alternatus as the most differentiated taxon and the Euroasiatic M. saltuarius as basal to all other strictly European entities. Chromosome analyses show that the diploid autosomal complement ranges from 18 in M. saltuarius to 20 in M. galloprovincialis, and 22 in M. sartor, but a XX-Xy(p) sex determining system is shared by all analysed taxa. The M. saltuarius karyotype appears as the most primitive from which the others may be derived through Robertsonian fissions. Karyological data therefore agree with molecular analyses in indicating a basal position of Euroasiatic M. saltuarius with respect to the group of European Monochamus taxa; among these, M. galloprovincialis and M. sartor represent two clearly diverging evolutionary units. Furthermore, karyotype analyses substantiate molecular conclusions about the identity between M. galloprovincialis galloprovincialis and M. galloprovincialis pistor

AUTOMICTIC PARTHENOGENESIS AND ITS GENETIC CONSEQUENCE IN BACILLUS-ATTICUS-ATTICUS (INSECTA PHASMATODEA)

The meiotic divisions in the eggs of the diploid thelytokous stick insect Bacillus atticus atticus (2n=34 or 33) were examined in Feulgen squashes. The reduction division is normal and results in two interphase nuclei. These nuclei fuse at the onset of prophase II and a diploid meiotic division II follows. One of the resultant nuclei degenerates and the other starts embryogenesis. This automictic type of parthenogenesis explains the clonal maintenance of cytotypes and also the transmission of different levels of heterozygosity. The degree of heterozygosity is determined by the position of the chiasmata and the orientation of the chromosomes at metaphase II. The production of diploid B. atticus/rossius hybrids and its underlying mechanism are discussed