Cytogenetic studies in Heteroptera contribute to the analysis of evolutionary trends within the group. Heteroptera are characterized by the possession of holokinetic chromosomes, different sex chromosome mechanisms and a pair of m chromosomes in some species. In the present work, the male karyotype and meiosis in Sigara denseconscripta (Breddin), S. chrostowskii Jaczewski, and S. rubyae (Hungerford) are described. The three species share a diploid chromosome number of 2n= 24 with a pair of m chromosomes and an XY/XX sex chromosome system. With this study the chromosome number of 30 species of Corixoidea are known and the modal karyotype is 2n= 20+2m+XY in males. The available cytogenetic information in Heteroptera led us to suggest that the presence of a... |