Apidologie, A Quality Journal in Bee Science

Odontomachus (Latreille) and Anochetus (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) are closely related pantropical genera of ponerine ants that share morphological and behavioral characteristics. A comparative study was carried out using conventional Giemsa staining, fluorochrome staining, and fluorescent in situ hybridization. Karyotypes revealed a higher stability in chromosome number among Odontomachus species than among Anochetus species. We observed a higher frequency of metacentric chromosomes in the karyotypes of Anochetus compared with the more common telocentrics of Odontomachus species. Differences in the localization of rDNA genes on chromosomes between the two genera also were verified. rDNA genes were found on telocentric and submetacentric chromosomes in Anochetus and on telocentric chromosomes in Odontomachus. Our cytogenetic results lend support to Brown's hypothesis that Odontomachus has evolved from a lineage of Anochetus. The karyotype divergence of both genera can be explained by a model of evolution in which there is a tendency to the increase of chromosome number by centric fission. Supporting evidence for this hypothesis is discussed.

Tetragonisca angustula and Tetragonisca fiebrigi have recently been listed as valid species. This study aimed to cytogenetically investigate both species, emphasizing the new registry of B chromosomes in the tribe Meliponini. We analyzed colonies of T. angustula and T. fiebrigi collected at Tangará da Serra, Mato Grosso, Brazil, through conventional Giemsa staining, C-banding, and base-specific fluorochrome staining (CMA(3)/DAPI). T. angustula showed 2n = 34 chromosomes in females and n = 17 in males, with karyotype formula 2K = 34A(M). T. fiebrigi showed numeric variation, with chromosome number varying from 2n = 34 to 2n = 36 in females and from n = 17 to n = 18 in males, with karyotype formula 2K = 32A(M)+2A(Mc) and 2K = 32A(M)+2A(Mc) + 1 or 2 B-chromosomes. The B chromosomes are heterochromatic. In T. fiebrigi, the CMA(3)/DAPI staining revealed four chromosomes with a CMA(3) positive band. All individuals from the same colony showed the same number of B chromosomes. T. angustula and T. fiebrigi showed karyotype divergence, principally due to the presence of B chromosomes, which are found only in T. fiebrigi. Our data corroborate the status of valid species for both T. angustula and T. fiebrigi, as recently proposed.

Cytogenetic analyses of the stingless bee Partamona helleri collected in the state of Bahia, Northeast Brazil revealed the chromosome numbers n = 18 in the haploid males and 2n = 35 in the diploid females. All karyotypes displayed one large acrocentric B chromosome, which differs from the minute B chromosomes previously described in the populations from southeastern Brazil. Giemsa staining, C-banding and DAPI/CMA(3) fluorochrome staining also revealed a remarkable interpopulational divergence regarding both the regular karyotype and the B chromosomes. The B chromosomes found in the samples from Jequié, Bahia, were entirely heterochromatic, while those found in Cravolândia, Bahia, displayed a euchromatic portion at the telomeric end of the long arm. CMA (3) labeling sites varied from seven to eight between the two localities in Bahia, due to the presence of an extra GC-rich block in the karyotype of the samples from Jequié. This is the first report of a large B chromosome in P. helleri and reveals the occurrence of a geographic differentiation within this species.