Haplo-diploid locust embryos arising by accidental thelytoky in Chortoicetes terminifera investigated by G-banding

Abstract

Two mosaic sibling embryos of the Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera are reported with haploid and diploid cell lines in widely differing proportions. One small chromosome pair involved in the two cases has alternative morphology and a B-chromosome is present in one. In addition, G-banding identifies two medium-sized chromosome pairs and alternative states of a second small pair. Using these markers it is clear that both diploid cell lines are homozygous for the chromosomes of the corresponding haploid line. These embryos have thus developed by accidental parthenogenesis from haploid cells, some of which were duplicated by endomitosis after development began.