Elytra colour polymorphism and randomness of matings in Chauliognathus fallax Germar 1824 from southern Brazil (Coleoptera, Cantharidae)
Rev. bras. entomol
; 47(3): 409-413, 2003. ilus, tab
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-388949
Responsible library:
BR3.1
RESUMO
Beetles of the species Chauliognathus fallax Germar 1824 are polymorphic for elytron colouration with six morphs distinguished on the basis of black pigmentation on a yellow background. We investigated samples of C. fallax taken in eight consecutive weeks aiming to determine the frequency of the morphs which were grouped, for statistical analysis, into three classes according to elytra pigmentation as well as the possible occurrence of assortative mating. Our results showed a variation in the frequency of the classes throughout the season, both in males and females, with the maximum frequency of each class at the fourth and fifth week. The three classes (A, B, C) showed the same pattern of variation, and class B was always the more frequent. To test randomness of matings two approaches were taken in the first, we compared the frequency of each class in copulating and non-copulating insects. In the second, the frequency of each class in the whole sample was taken as the probability of occurrence of the respective class; then, using the criterion of the probability of independent events we calculated the expected proportion of copulating insects for each pair of events. Both methods gave non-significant differences, suggesting that the matings were random.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
LILACS
Main subject:
Polymorphism, Genetic
/
Coleoptera
/
Brazil
/
Pigmentation
Type of study:
Controlled clinical trial
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Rev. bras. entomol
Journal subject:
Biology
Year:
2003
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul/BR
/
Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos/BR