T. Ryan Gregory, Oldrich Nedved, and Sarah J. Adamowicz
Hereditas 139: 121-127.
Abstract
This study provides C-value (haploid nuclear DNA
content) estimates for 31 species of ladybird beetles (representing 6
subfamilies and 8 tribes), the first such data for the family
Coccinellidae. Despite their unparalleled diversity, the
Coleoptera have been very poorly studied in terms of genome size
variation, such that even this relatively modest sample of species
makes the Coccinellidae the third best studied family of beetles,
behind the Tenebrionidae and Chrysomelidae. The present study
provides a comparison of patterns of genome size variation with these
two relatively well-studied families. No correlation was found
between genome size and body size in the ladybirds, in contrast to
some other invertebrate groups but in keeping with findings for other
beetle families. However, there is some indication that
developmental time and/or feeding ecology is related to genome size in
this group. Some phylogenetic patterns and possible associations
with subgenomic features are also discussed.