DETERMINATION OF PATERNITY IN DRAGONFLIES BY RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA FINGERPRINTING

We used Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting to addr ess issues of paternity in two odonate species. Amplification artifact s of RAPD markers were controlled by assessing paternity patterns rela tive to the banding patterns generated by quantitative mixtures of DNA from putative parents ('synthetic offspring'). In the aeshnid dragonf ly Anax parthenope, for which the mating histories of both males and f emales were unknown, we found strong evidence for complete paternity s uccess for the contact guarding male. In the highly polygamous libellu lid dragonfly Orthetrum coerulescens, we detected and quantified mixed paternity in sequentially produced offspring clutches and demonstrate d that fertilization success is correlated with the duration of copula tion. Our results suggest that RAPD fingerprinting is suitable to addr ess issues of paternity in systems which are genetically uncharacteriz ed and produce large offspring clutches.