Genetics - Theses
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ItemThesis for MSc degree(University of Melbourne, 1966)Hymenopteran cytogenetics has been hampered by the small size of the chromosomes, the technical difficulties associated with obtaining cell divisions (spermatogenesis, for Instance, is complete by the end of pupal life, except in a few species), and by the fact that true meiosis does not occur in the male and hence must be studied in the female, requiring more elaborate techniques. In fact, males are genetically equivalent to gametes of the females, which can be considered hermaphrodites from the standpoint of population genetics (Crow and Roberts 1950; Cale and Gowen 1964). The present work has been concerned with interspecific relationships as seen in mitotic chromosomes. The cytotaxonomic study of ants has been firmly established only recently with the papers of Hauschteck (1961, 1962, 1963), and Imai and Yosida (1964), although there have been other groups working on ant chromosomes (Smith and Peacock 195?; Whelden and Haskins 1953; Kumbkarni 1965). There has been no work published on the use of colcemid in ant cytotaxonomy. The information obtainable about chromosome morphology has therefore, generally been limited to size comparisons and chromosome counts have formed the principal basis for interspecific comparisons. Most attention to date has been focussed on species of the two largest subfamilies, the Myrmicinae and Formicinae. Emphasis in the present work, however, has been on species of the subfamilies Dolichoderinae and Ponerinae.