Characterization of mitotic chromosomes of the scarab beetles Glyphoderus sterquilinus (Westwood) and Bubas bison (L) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) using conventional and banding techniques

Analysis of mitotic chromosomes of the scarab beetles Glyphoderus sterquilinus (Westwood) and Bubas bison (L.) was conducted by standard, fluorochrome (DAPI), NOR-, C-, G- and R-banding techniques. The diploid complement is 2 n = 18 in G. sterquilinus and 2n = 20 in B. bison with a XY sex determining mechanism in both species. The male mitotic metaphase complement of Glyphoderus sterquilinus consists of two pairs of metacentric, four pairs of subtelocentric, two pairs of acrocentric and a XY pair (X = metacentric and Y = submetacentric). In males of Bubas bison the ten pairs can be grouped in nine pairs of acrocentric and a XY pair (X = acrocentric and Y = unidentified). Nearly all chromosome pairs of this latter species show more or less large-sized terminal heterochromatic regions. The presumptive nature of the heterochromatin in G. sterquilinus and B. bison is discussed.