THE GENETIC COMPOSITION OF PHILAENUS SPUMARIUS POPULATIONS IN ISLAND HABITATS VARIABLY AFFECTED BY VOLES

Gentics of hilanenus colour polymorphism: the 28 genotypes.

The genetic basis of balanced polymorphism in Philaenus (Homoptera)

In Philaenus spumarius (Homoptera), colour polymorphism is mainly determined by a series of allelic genes. The dominance and co-dominance relationships of the following seven alleles were analysed: T (trilineatus), M (marginellus), F (flavicollis-F), L (lateralis), C (flavicollis-C, gibbus and leucocephalus), O (quadrimaculatus, albomaculatus and leucophthalmus) and t (typicus). The colour phenotypes are indicated in brackets. On the basis of partly direct and partly indirect evidence, T was found to be the top dominant and t the bottom recessive allele in the female sex. In the males, T is also the top dominant, but t comes second in the hierarchy. Conclusive evidence of the dominance of T…