Eur. J. Entomol. 93 (2): 145-150, 1996
Estimation of the rate of inbreeding in a natural population of Adalia bipunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) using a phenotypic indicator
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The rate of inbreeding is an important parameter in the population and evolutionary genetics of a species. Accurate measurement of the rate of close inbreeding can be gained through the use of DNA fingerprinting; however, this is both labour intensive and expensive. We here provide a more approximate measure of the rate of close inbreeding in Adalia bipunctata, utilising the unusual phenotypic effect of inbreeding, the production of eggs which develop but fail to hatch, which is seen in this species. Examination of the incidence of grey eggs in known outbred and inbred laboratory crosses and comparison to their incidence in wild-collected clutches produced an upper estimate of 2.7% of wild clutches being the product of close inbreeding. This result is discussed in the light of the ecology and evolutionary biology of Adalia bipunctata.
Keywords: Coccinellidae, Adalia bipunctata, population genetics, inbreeding, male-killing, microorganisms
Accepted: November 20, 1995; Published: August 1, 1996 Show citation
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