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The Journal of Heredity 2000:91(5)
© 2000 The American Genetic Association 91:351-358

Aberrant spermatogenesis and the peculiar mechanism of sex determination in symphypleonan Collembola

R Dallai*, PP Fanciulli, and F Frati

Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Siena, via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy *Corresponding author

Light and electron microscopy evidence have been obtained to describe the peculiar spermatogenesis in the collembolan species Sminthurus viridis and Allacma fusca (Sminthuridae). In these two species, the two sexes differ for the lack of two chromosomes (the sex chromosomes) in males (males, 2n = 10; females, 2n = 12). While oogenesis seems to proceed normally, spermatogenesis is peculiar because the two daughter cells of the first meiotic division have different chromosome numbers (six and four). The cell receiving four chromosomes degenerates, while the cell receiving six chromosomes completes meiosis and produces identical spermatozoa (n = 6). At fertilization, pronuclei with six chromosomes fuse together to form zygotes with 2n = 12. Male embryos must lose two sex chromosomes during the first zygotic mitosis, as all male cells have 2n = 10 chromosomes. The sex chromosome system of these species can be identified as X1X1X2X2 : X1X20. Electron microscopy observations show that the same peculiar spermatogenesis occurs also in two others species of the same family, Caprainea marginata and Lipothrix lubbocki. The peculiar sex determination system described is similar but not identical to what is observed in other insect orders, and it may represent an evolutionary step toward parthenogenesis. It is suggested that this peculiar spermatogenesis is common to all Symphypleona.


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