Genetics of red body polymorphism in the isopod, Venezillo evergladensis.

A red body morph with reddish-orange body and brownish-red eyes is described in the terrestrial isopod, Venezillo evergladensis. The alternate, non-red morph, has a brown body and black eyes and either gray or orange antennae. Breeding results show three alleles, rg, ro and r at an autosomal locus control the variation. The dominance hierarchy is rg less than ro less that r; the genotypes, rg/rg, rg/ro, and rg/r are non-red, grey, ro/ro and ro/r are non-red, orange, and r/r are red. The gray antennae of non-red, gray individuals is variable in expression although still objectively recognized. The red body morph and its inheritance is paralleled in related species, while the antennal variation identifies a new allele. Sperm storage, exceeding a full year, and multiple matings in nature are documented.