Chromosome studies on four species of cicindelid beetles (Coleoptera: Adephaga)

Karyological investigations were carried out on male individuals of four species of cicindelid beetles, viz., Lophyra (Lophyra) striatifrons Chaud., Lophyra Spilodia striolata III., Lophyra (Spilodia) vittegera Dej. and Lophyra (Spilodia) multiguttata Dej. All the four species possess a diploid number of 23 chromosomes with X₁X₂Y type of sex-chromosome mechanism. All the species except Lophyra (Spilodia) vittegera have one pair of large-sized marker chromosomes. Both the X chromosomes are metacentric in all the species. Y is the smallest element. Nature of the Y chromosome differed in different species. The sex chromosomes paried to form a trilobed body which depicted positive hetropycnosis during prophase of the meiotic division.