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Science 12 January 2007:
Vol. 315. no. 5809, p. 206
DOI: 10.1126/science.1133388
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Brevia

Haploid Females in the Parasitic Wasp Nasonia vitripennis

Leo W. Beukeboom,1* Albert Kamping,1 Marina Louter,1 Laas P. Pijnacker,1 Vaishali Katju,2{dagger} Patrick M. Ferree,3 John H. Werren2

The insect order of Hymenoptera (ants, bees, sawflies, and wasps) consists almost entirely of haplodiploid species. Under haplodiploidy, males develop from unfertilized eggs and are haploid, whereas females develop from fertilized eggs and are diploid. Although diploid males commonly occur, haploid females have never been reported. In analyzing the phenomenon of gynandromorphism in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis, we found a line that generates complete phenotypic females from unfertilized eggs. These females have ovaries, can lay eggs, and are haploid, as shown by cytological and flow cytometric analyses. The data show that diploidy is not necessary for female development.

1 Evolutionary Genetics, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Post Office Box 14, 9750 AA Haren, Netherlands.
2 Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
3 Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA.

{dagger} Present address: Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: l.w.beukeboom{at}rug.nl

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Inheritance of Gynandromorphism in the Parasitic Wasp Nasonia vitripennis.
A. Kamping, V. Katju, L. W. Beukeboom, and J. H. Werren (2007)
Genetics 175, 1321-1333
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)