title: Karyotype characteristics, larval morphology and chromosomal polymorphism peculiarities ofGlyptotendipes salinusMichailova, 1983 (Diptera, Chironomidae) from Tambukan Lake, Central Caucasus.
abstract: Data on the karyotype characteristics, larval morphology and features of chromosomal polymorphism of a population ofGlyptotendipes salinusMichailova, 1983 (Diptera, Chironomidae) from Tambukan Lake (on the northern macroslope of the central Caucasus) are presented. It was found that diagnostic larval characters ofGlyptotendipes salinusfrom Caucasus in general are similar to those described in previous studies, but with some significant differences. By some morphological characteristics Caucasian larvae appeared to be closer toGlyptotendipes barbipesthan to ones provided for European larvae ofGlyptotendipes salinusby Contreras-Lichtenberg (1999). Obtained morphological data make possible to conclude that Caucasian population ofGlyptotendipes salinuscan be a markedly diverged population of the species, probably even subspecies. In the Caucasian population 12 banding sequences were found: two in arms A, B, C, E, and G, and one in arms D and F. Eight of these are already known for this species, and four, salA2, salB2, salEX, and salG3, are described for the first time. Genetic distances between all the previously studied populations ofGlyptotendipes salinuswere measured using Nei criteria (1972). The population of the central Caucasus occupies a distinct position on the dendrogram compared with populations from Altai and Kazakhstan. All the obtained morphological and cytogenetic data can indicate the plausible relative isolation and complexity of the Caucasus from the viewpoint of microevolution. More researches are required in other parts of Caucasus and other geographically distant regions for more specific allegations.
authors.affiliation: Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountain territories RAS, I. Armand str., 37a, Nalchik 360051, Russia.
authors.forename: Mukhamed Kh
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Karmokov
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Problems RAS, Center of Medico-Ecological Research, Shogentsukova str., 40, Nalchik 360051, Russia.
authors.forename: Azamat Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Akkizov
keywords: Chironomidae; Diptera; Glyptotendipes salinus; Tambukan Lake; central Caucasus (northern macroslope); chromosomal polymorphism; genetic distances; larval morphology; polytene chromosomes