P. Juchault et T. Rigaud, EVIDENCE FOR FEMALE HETEROGAMETY IN 2 TERRESTRIAL CRUSTACEANS AND THEPROBLEM OF SEX-CHROMOSOME EVOLUTION IN ISOPODS, Heredity, 75, 1995, pp. 466-471
Female heterogamety (WZ type) has been demonstrated in the terrestrial
isopods Oniscus asellus (Oniscidae) and Eluma purpurascens (Armadilli
diidae), by making crosses between two genetic females (one of them ex
perimentally reversed into a functional neo-male). The WW individuals
generated by such crosses were viable and fertile females. These data,
plus the frequent monomorphism of sex chromosomes and the coexistance
of two heterogamety types (XX/XY and WZ/ZZ), indicate that sex chromo
some differentiation in isopods is at a primitive stage. The evolution
of sex chromosomes in this group of crustaceans is discussed, and it
is suggested that this evolution has been disturbed by parasitic sex f
actors.