Chromosomal Response to Chemical Stress in Flesh Fly Sarcophaga ruficornis (Fab.) (Sarcophagidae: Diptera)

Abstract

Summary Chromosomal responses to thiourea, caffeine, sodium azide and colchicine were studied in pupal foot pad polytene chromosomes of Sarcophaga ruficornis. The stress was given at different concentrations for different time intervals and in each case only a single large puff in chromosome arm II L at the region 12A was induced. The same puff was induced in several sarcophagid species by heat shock and chemical agents. These findings suggest that a single prominent puff is a hallmark of the stress response in sarcophagids and thus can be used as a biomarker in environmental toxicology.