Cuticular hydrocarbon variation and progeny phenotypic similarity between laboratory breeds of allopatric populations of Argas (Persicargas) persicus (Oken) (acari: Argasidae)

Cuticular hydrocarbons of laboratory breeds of four Argas (Persicargas) persicus (Oken) population samples were studied by gas chromatography. Cuticular hydrocarbon patterns were used to determine Neiʹs genetic distances among populations, and their average heterozygosity. Sixteen n-alkanes, 37 monomethylalkanes and 26 dimethylalkanes were identified. Mostly quantitative differences were recorded between populations, rarely among males and females of the same population. A low genetic distance (0.0278–0.0781) together with a prominent degree of average heterozygosity (60.37–66.98%) were recorded in the population samples studied. When crossbreeds with adult specimens from the same or different geographical origins are performed, all larval progenies closely correlated within themselves and with their parents in hydrocarbon pattern. A slight matrocliny occurred in larvae coming from crosses of the same geographical source. From cross data it is postulated that hydrocarbons in A. persicus are inherited under a two dominant alleles hypothesis.