Determination of chromosomal features of Western Anatolian Nalassus mulsant, 1854 species (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini)

In this thesis study, cytogenetic analysis of Nalassus bozdagus and Nalassus plebejus species which are distributed in Western Anatolia, have been conducted. The slides obtained from the collected female and male specimens gonads were examined with Routine Giemsa, silver nitrate and DAPI stains. Mitotic and meiotic chromosomal analysis have shown that both species have the 2n=20 (9+Xyp) formula which is accepted as the modal karyotype for Tenebrionidae family. As a result of silver staining; while it was obvious that NORs are associated with Xyp sex chromosomes of N.bozdagus in prophase I and metaphase I, the potential NORs of N. plebejus have been observed only in prophase I. With the application of fluorescence dye DAPI, the AT rich chromosomal regions of both species were photographed with fluorescence microscope and Xyp which forms the parachute configuration was shown.