THE SYNAPTONEMAL COMPLEX COMPLEMENT OF THE WAX MOTH, GALLERIA-MELLONELLA

Synaptonemal complexes (SCs) of pachytene bivalents from oocytes and s permatocytes of the wax moth, Galleria mellonella, were studied with a microspreading technique. In both sexes 30 bivalents were found. Male SCs in contrast to female SCs contained recombination nodules. No spe cific bivalent could be recognized in male complements. In female comp lements, the WZ bivalent was recognized among the three longest bivale nts by its delayed pairing and/or unequal lengths of the lateral eleme nts. Pairing of WZ bivalents is complete and lateral elements arc near ly equalized in a few cells, presumably at the end of pachytene.