ABSTRACT
Known as "electric-light bugs", belostomatids potentially act as agents of biological control. The Belostoma genus has holokinetic chromosomes, interspecific variation in diploid number, sex chromosome system and DNA content. Thus, the chromosomal complement, the accumulation of constitutive heterochromatin and the distribution of rDNA clusters by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in Belostoma angustum (BAN), Belostoma sanctulum (BSA), and Belostoma nessimiani (BNE) were evaluated. In addition, a comparative analysis of the DNA content of these species and B. estevezae (BES) was performed. BES has the highest Belostoma DNA content, while BSA has the lowest. BAN showed 2n = 29 + X1X2Y, while BSA and BNE had 2n = 14 + XY. BSA showed 18S rDNA markings on sex chromosomes, while BNE and BAN did on autosomes. The difference between BSA and BNE occurs because of the possible movement of the rDNA cluster in BNE. We suggest the occurrence of fusion in the autosomes of BSA and BNE, and fragmentation in the sex chromosomes in BAN. Also, the genome size of 1-2 pg represents a haploid DNA content of a common ancestor, from which the genomes of BES and BAN had evolved by gene duplication and heterochromatinization events.
