Abstract
Brachypterous L. stiratellus females, with the exception of the macropterous ones, exhibit a continuous variation in abdominal color ranging from milky white (W) to black (B). Brachypterous and macropterous males have two color variants, one with a white stripe on the mesoscutellum (S) and one without the stripe (NS, black scutellum). The adult body coloration in populations of L. stiratellus was darker at higher nymphal rearing densities. The inheritance of body color was studied by mass-crossing single phenotype of females or males with randomly colored individuals of the opposite sex. In addition, female and male body colors were selected simultaneously for 11 generations in the following combinations : B×S, B×NS, W×S and W×NS. The development of both female and male adult body coloration had a genetic basis, and the genetic determination of male body coloration was independent of female.
