GENETICS OF GLOSSINA MORSITANS MORSITANS (DIPTERA: GLOSSINIDAE). VI. MULTILOCUS COMPARISON OF THREE LABORATORY POPULATIONS

Abstract

Three strains (Kariba, Handeni, and ocra) of Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood were examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to determine the extent of genetic similarity among the strains. Males were examined for 11 thoracic enzymes, one testicular enzyme, and one midgut enzyme. Tetrazolium oxidase, manganese stimulated malate dehydrogenase, an alpha-glycerophosophate deyhdrogenase, and testicular esterase were monomorphic. Variation was found in xanthine oxidase, aldehyde oxidase, octanol dehydrogenase, an alpha-glycerophosophate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, midgut alkaline phosphatase, two esterases, arginine phosphokinase, and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Loci for the latter two enzymes are on the X-chromosome; all others are on autosomes. Allele frequencies in the three strains indicated that the Kariba and ocra strains are more closely related to each other than either is to the Handeni strain. These genetic similarities are consistant with the geographic origins of the strains. The mean heterozygosity per locus was highest (16.7% and 16.0%) in the two strains (Kariba and ocra) which have the highest reproductive capacity under laboratory conditions, and lowest (7.3%) in the strain (Handeni) which has the lowest reproductive capacity.