Cytogenetic Analysis of A Hoverfly Eristalis tenax (Diptera: Syrphidae)

Abstract

Karyotypic, morphometric and meiotic details of a hoverfly, Eristalis tenax belonging to subfamily Eristalinae of family Syrphidae were studied during present investigation. This species is commonly known as drone fly due to its resemblance with the drones of honey bees. These are good pollinators and their larvae are called rat tailed maggots due to the presence of a long posterior tube for breathing. It showed diploid chromosome number 2n=12 (10+XY) in males. The sex mechanism is found to be XY, X is subtelocentric and Y is telocentric. Meiotic observations included leptotene, diplotene, metaphase-I and metaphase-II. Present studies will help to solve taxonomic problems with in the family Syrphidae and in general understanding of the course of evolution in order Diptera.