SPECIES SPECIFICITY OF HETEROCHROMATIN BLOCK DISTRIBUTION AND rDNA LOCALIZATION IN MITOTIC CHROMOSOMES OF MOSQUITOES SPECIES AEDES EXCRUCIANS, AE. BEHNINGI AND AE. PUNCTOR

Abstract

A karyotypic analysis of three mosquito species Aedes excrucians, Ae. behningi and Ae. punctor (Diptera: Culicidae). Differences in the lengths of chromosomes, the distribution of C- and DAPI blocks of heterochromatin, and the localization of rDNA genes on chromosomes were revealed. Aedes excrucians has the largest chromosome length among the three species represented. Ae. punctor differs in the localization of rDNA on the second chromosome, while in Aedes excrucians and Ae. behningi, rDNA genes are located on chromosome 1. All three species have different C-banding and species-specific localization of heterochromatin DAPI blocks. Consequently, chromosome analysis can serve as an additional mechanism for species identification of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes.