T. Ryan Gregory
Canadian Journal of Zoology 80(7):
1303-1305
Abstract
The haploid genome size (C-value) of the northern walkingstick Diapheromera
femorata (Say) was estimated to be 1C = 2.55pg using Feulgen image
analysis densitometry of haemocyte and sperm nuclei. This
relatively
large genome size is similar to those of the few other phasmids studied
so far, and is consistent with hypotheses regarding an upper limit to
many
insect genome sizes imposed by the process of metamorphosis which is
relaxed
among hemimetabolous orders. Some comments on sperm morphology in
D. femorata are also provided, and suggest another possible
relationship
between genome size and the organismal phenotype in insects.