Karyological investigations on seven species of Carabidae (Caraboidea: Coleoptera) from Russia

Karyological investigations were carried out on seven species of carabid beetles from Russia. The diploid number of chromosomes and male meioformulae are: Carabini: Carabus (Carabus) granulatus L (28:13+Xy); Bembidiini: Bembidion (Bembidion) sp (32:15+XY), B. (Peryphus) tetracolum Say (26: 12+Xy); Platynini : Calathus (Fuscocalathus) fuscipes Goeze (37:18+XO), C. (Calathus) melanocephalus L (38:18+XY), C. (Calathus) erratus Sahl (38:18+Xy) and C. (Calathus) micropterus Dift (37:18+X). C. fuscipes and C. micropterus were collected from Ozygovo near Moscow, whereas all other species were picked from Moscow. The karyotypes of Carabus granulatus, Bembidion sp., Calathus fuscipes and C. micropterus are typical of their respective tribes. Karyotypes of other species, however, depict variation. Variations are also shown in NF a . The sex chromosome system was simple XO in Calathus fuscipes and C. micropterus and simple Xy type in the remaining species. Prophase of the first meiotic division revealed large blocks of heterochromatin. Structure and behaviour of chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis have been described and evolution of karyotype in Caraboidea and phylogenetic relationships have been discussed.