Gene diversity at allozyme loci in the cottonwood leaf beetle, Chrysomela scripta.

Gene diversity was studied in beetles collected from a poplar plantation at Ames, Iowa. The beetles are widely distributed throughout North America wherever poplars (Populus spp) occur. Of 38 loci interpretable by simple Mendelian criteria, 22 were polymorphic (58%). Nei's mean heterozygosity per locus was 20.1 +/- 4.0%. A mean 2.29 +/- 1.35 alleles per locus was detected. The foregoing levels of diversity are typical of Coleoptera. There were significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg expectations at six loci, and of these loci, four deviations were judged to have been caused by technical problems in resolving heterozygotes. Twelve polymorphic loci are considered suitable to carry out studies on the breeding structure of this important pest.