Mechanisms of chromosomal differentiation in beetles of the subfamily Cassidinae s.l. (Polyphaga, Chrysomelidae)

• Grant number: 12/12619-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2012
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Marielle Cristina Schneider
• Grantee: Amália Torrezan Lopes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The beetles of the subfamily Cassidinae s.l. are commonly known as tortoise, presented a world-wide distribution, however they have more diversity in the tropical regions, mainly in South America. Cytogenetically, less than 2% of the Cassidinae species were analyzed, which showed diploid number ranging from 2n=16 to 2n=51, and sex chromosomes system of the Xyp, X0, Xy, Xyc, Xyr, neoXY, Xyyp, XpneoXneoYp types, in addition to the other multiple systems. Despite of this karyotype diversity, most Cassidinae species, approximately 85%, presented the karyotype formula 2n=16+Xyp. This karyotype uniformity in Cassidinae s.l. could be related to the low number of species cytogenetically examined, the predominance of the cytological studies in certain genera and/or tribes as well as the scarcity or absence of studies using the identification of specific chromosome regions. The aim of this work is to establish the mechanisms of chromosome differentiation in Cassidinae s.l. species. The cytogenetical analysis will be accomplished in at least 15 species from Brazilian fauna. The mitotic and meiotic chromosomes will be investigated under light microscopy to determine the diploid number, chromosome morphology, type of sex chromosome system, chromosome behavior during meiosis, and the distribution of constitutive heterochromatin, nucleolar organizer regions, and ribosomal cistrons.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LOPES, AMALIA T.; FERNANDES, FLAVIA R.; SCHNEIDER, MARIELLE C.. Chromosome mapping of 28S ribosomal genes in 11 species of Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). European Journal of Entomology, v. 114, p. 546-553, 2017. (11/21643-1, 12/12619-2)

LOPES, AMALIA T.; FERNANDES, FLAVIA R.; SCHNEIDER, MARIELLE C.. Comparative cytogenetic analysis in 13 tortoise beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) from Brazil. European Journal of Entomology, v. 113, p. 352-363, 2016. (12/12619-2, 11/21643-1)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

LOPES, Amália Torrezan. Mechanisms of chromosomal differentiation in beetles of the subfamily Cassidinae s.l. (Polyphaga, Chrysomelidae). 2016. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências. Rio Claro Rio Claro.