Cytotaxonomic differentiation of Wilhelmia equina (Linné, 1747) and Wilhelmia lineata (Meigen, 1804) (Diptera: Simuliidae)

In most cases the larvae of Wilhelmia equina and W. lineata cannot be distinguished by using classical morphological features. The morphological characteristics of the salivary gland polytene chromosomes allow one to differentiate clearly between the two species. Characteristic for W. equina are the extended region between the centromere, Ctr (transformed centromere), and the nucleolus organizer, NO, in IS, the definitive position of RB (ring of Balbiani) and bulge in IIS, and the fan-shaped IIIL telomere. The chromosomes of W. lineata are marked by complex chromosomal polymorphisms, the altered position of RB and bulge on IIS and by a strong ectopic pairing of centromeres. The comparison of banding patterns provides several intraspecific polymorphic inversions and interspecific fixed rearrangements for species diagnosis. Partial chromosome maps were established. The comparison of the chromosomal banding pattern of Wilhelmia with that of the Simulium standard reveals a whole-arm interchange between chromosomes I and II in Wilhelmia identical with that in Metomphalus, Prosimulium vernale, a form of P. mixtum, and Metacnephia.Key words: cytotaxonomy, Simuliidae, Wilhelmia equina, Wilhelmia lineata, larvae.