Cytogenetic analysis on Turkonalassus quercanus Keskin, Nabozhenko et Alpagut-Keskin, 2017 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini)

Cytogenetic features of the endemic Western Anatolian tenebrionid species Turkonalassus quercanus Keskin, Nabozhenko et Alpagut-Keskin, 2017 were analyzed using conventional and differential staining. Chromosome preparations were obtained from the gonads of both males and females. The karyotype of T. quercanus was found to be 2n = 20 (9 + Xyp), which is considered the modal number for Tenebrionidae. The heteromorphic sex chromosomes of T. quercanus form a parachute like bivalent at metaphase I (MI) of male meiosis. Both conventional and differential staining have shown that predominantly metacentric chromosomes of T. quercanus exhibit a typical pericentromeric heterochromatin pattern. As per results of the silver staining, the existence of a prominent nucleolus at prophase I and a highly impregnated area associated with Xyp at MI are indicated the sex chromosomal location of NOR. In comparison with previously published cytogenetic data on other species of the tribe Helopini which are presenting the same karyotype formula, our results suggest that a series of chromosomal rearrangements may have been involved in their karyotype evolution

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

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

Taxonomic review of the genus Armenohelops Nabozhenko, 2002 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) with additional support of the mitochondrial COI gene sequences

The genus Armenohelops Nabozhenko, 2002 (Tenebrionidae: Helopini: Cylindrinotina) with 9  species from Anatolia, Armenia and North Western Iran is revised. Two new species are described (both from Turkey): A.  parvocularis sp.  n., A.  fouquei sp.  n. New synonyms are established: Armenohelops bosphoranus (Allard, 1876) = Stenomax fundator Reitter, 1908, syn. n.; Armenohelops amasiae (Seidlitz, 1896)  = Cylindronotus (Odocnemis) strangulatus Reitter, 1922,  syn.  n. New combinations are established: Armenohelops scutellatus (Reitter, 1902),  comb.  n. (from Odocnemis Allard, 1876), Armenohelops bosphoranus (Allard, 1876),  comb.  n. (from Odocnemis), Armenohelops amasiae (Seidlitz, 1896),  comb.  n. (from Odocnemis). Lectotypes of Stenomax scutellatus Reitter, 1902, Stenomax fundator Reitter, 1908 and Cylindronotus strangulatus Reitter, 1922 are designated. Molecular phylogenetic analyses were also conducted using mitochondrial COI sequences, in order to confirm the monophyly of the newly collected material of A. amasiae from different populations. Taxonomic history, distribution, morphology, position of the genus in the tribe Helopini and key to species are give

Rod-Shaped Bivalents indicate new assemblage among Anatolian Water Frog Populations

WOS: 000236620700006The general features of the mitotic and meiotic chromosomes analysed in 91 frogs belonging to nine water frog Populations distributed in Southwest Anatolia. The differences found in mitotic and meiotic chromosomes revealed the existence of two groups among the populations: the first "Aegean Group" includes those from Izmir, Bulca, Pazaragac, and the second - "Lake District Group" from Eber, Aksehir, Gelendost, Egirdir, Golcuk, and Beysehir populations. The major distinction appeared in the number of the rod-shaped bivalents in metaphase 1, with only one in the "Aegean Group" compared to one or two in the "Lake District Group". This result indicates a new assemblage among Anatolian water frogs and strengthens the Suggestion that the "Lake District Group" that have one or two rod shaped bivalents in metaphase I due to the inclusion of hybrid lineages containing both parental genomes. It is clear that at least two separate species are present in Anatolia; one of them is possibly Rana ridibunda from the north and the second is closer to the Balkan species Rana epeirotica and Rana shqiperica

The genus Gunarus Des Gozis, 1886 belongs to the subtribe Cylindrinotina (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini)

The genus Gunarus Des Gozis, 1886 is transferred from the subtribe Helopina to the subtribe Cylindrinotina (Tenebrionidae: Helopini) based on the structure of male aedeagus and presence of posterior ventral grooves of lower aspect of eye in the type species Gunarus hirtulus (Reiche, 1861). New combinations are established: Stenohelops (Stenomaleis) gayirbegi (Nabozhenko et Keskin, 2009), comb. n. (from Gunarus), Stenohelops (Stenomaleis) korkutelensis (Nabozhenko et Keskin, 2009), comb. n. (from Gunarus) and Ectromopsis ovipennis (Allard, 1877),  comb.  n. (from Gunarus). The species Gunarus arenicola Antoine, 1949 and G. bremondi Antoine, 1949 must be transferred to the subtribe Helopina but its generic position is unknown. Generic position of other 7 Gunarus species must be revised accordingly to the position of the type species G. hirtulus in the system of the tribe Helopini. Key to similar genera Nalassus, Gunarus, Ectromopsis, Xanthomus is given

Genetic differentiation among peripheral populations of bombina bombina from Thrace and Anatolia: An allozyme analysis

PubMed ID: 20094845Genetic structures of Bombina bombina populations, located as peripheral isolates in Turkish Thrace and northwestern Anatolia, were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using 20 allozyme loci, to investigate the populations' current genetic variation and possible colonization history. Significant genetic variability was detected in most of the loci and all populations. Allozyme pairwise F ST matrices and distribution of allele frequencies indicate their very close genetic relationships and relatively recent formation. Mean genetic distance values between Thracian and Anatolian populations indicate a Middle or Upper Pleistocene lineage separation before the formation of the Bosporus as an isolating geographic barrier. All the samples show substantial heterozygosity excess, and there was statistically significant evidence of recent bottlenecks. The extent and patterns of genetic divergence indicate that the Anatolian and Thracian populations have probably experienced bottlenecks, and incipient speciation may have occurred in Anatolian populations of B. bombina. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.Acknowledgments We wish to thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. U. Kaya, Dr. U. C. Eris¸mis¸, Dr. F. Turgay, and Dr. F. Sayım for valuable help with collection of the specimens. We are further sincerely grateful to Prof. Dr. A. Kence, Prof. Dr. B. Falakalı Mutaf, and Prof. Dr. M. K. Atatür for constructive comments on the manuscript. We should also like to thank Prof. Dr. D. Sperlich and three anonymous reviewers for critical suggestions and comments on earlier versions of this paper. We are also grateful to Dr. B. Keskin for reproduction of distribution maps. This study was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Tubitak Project No. TBAG 103T073). -

Age-dependent variations in the venom proteins of Vipera xanthina (Gray, 1849) (Ophidia: Viperidae).

PubMed ID: 17124671In this study, polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis and densitometry analysis methods were used to analyze venom extracts of Vipera xanthina specimens of different lengths (35, 47 and 88 cm) collected from the same locality. The electropherograms of the venom protein samples showed age-dependent qualitative and quantitative variations