Role of C-heterochromatin in variation of nuclear DNA amount in the genus Chorthippus (Orthoptera, Acrididae).

Nuclear DNA amounts of nine species of grasshopper genus Chorthippus were determined in populations of southern Spain. There were significant differences between species, and between populations within certain species, for this character. Measurements of chromosomes in C-banded mitotic metaphase cells enabled the relative amounts of positively and negatively C-banded chromatin to be ascertained. This demonstrated that variations observed in nuclear DNA amount are due to changes in both types of chromatin but those in C-heterochromatin are much more important.