Chromosomal evolution in the South American Riodinidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea)

We give the haploid chromosome numbers of 173 species or subspecies of Riodinidae as well as of 17 species or subspecies of neotropical Lycaenidae for comparison. The chromosome numbers of riodinids have thus far been very poorly known. We find that their range of variation extends from n = 9 to n =...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hereditas 2012-08, Vol.149 (4), p.128-138
Main Authors: Brown, Keith S., von Schoultz, Barbara, Saura, Anja O., Saura, Anssi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Chromosome number
Chromosomes - genetics
Evolution
Evolution, Molecular
Genetic Variation
Haploidy
Inbreeding
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera - classification
Lepidoptera - genetics
Lycaenidae
Migration
Papilionoidea
Phylogeny
Reproductive isolation
Riodinidae
South America
Speciation
Theclinae
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Summary:We give the haploid chromosome numbers of 173 species or subspecies of Riodinidae as well as of 17 species or subspecies of neotropical Lycaenidae for comparison. The chromosome numbers of riodinids have thus far been very poorly known. We find that their range of variation extends from n = 9 to n = 110 but numbers above n = 31 are rare. While lepidopterans in general have stable chromosome numbers, or variation is limited at most a subfamily or genus, the entire family Riodinidae shows variation within genera, tribes and subfamilies with no single modal number. In particular, a stepwise pattern with chromosome numbers that are about even multiples is seen in several unrelated genera. We propose that this variation is attributable to the small population sizes, fragmented populations with little migration, and the behavior of these butterflies. Small and isolated riodinid populations would allow for inbreeding to take place. Newly arisen chromosomal variants could become fixed and contribute to reproductive isolation and speciation. In contrast to the riodinids, the neotropical Lycaenidae (Theclinae and Polyommatinae) conform to the modal n = 24 that characterizes the family.
ISSN:0018-0661
1601-5223
1601-5223
DOI:10.1111/j.1601-5223.2012.02250.x