Sequential analysis of meiotic prophase in grasshoppers.

Longitudinal sections of testis tubules has been used to study the sequence of the prophase I in the male meiosis of grasshoppers of the genera Chortippus and Oedipoda. The sequence was determined and the presence of a diffuse stage found. An estimation of the duration of each phase in relation to the total duration of the prophase I has been made, namely synizesis 12.7%; zygotene, 16.7%; pachytene, 39.9%; diffuse stage, 8.2%; diplotene, 19.3%; and diakinesis 3.1%.