An Analysis of Somatic Chromosomes in the Uzifly, Exorista bombycis, (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Abstract

A detail analysis of somatic chromosomes from the brain and imaginary disc cells of the Uzifly, Exorista bombycis a parasitoid of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is presented. The karyotype is established to have 5 pairs of submetacentric autosomes in a graded series and a pair of sex chromsomes which are homomorphic in female and heteromorphic in male. The acrocentric X-chromosome is the smallest element and the Y is submetacentric and is larger than the X-chromosome. This is unique to this species. The karyotype of this species is compared with those of other cytologically known Dipterans and discussed.