Cell lines from the melolonthine scarab Antitrogus parvulus

Continuously replicating cell lines have been established from embryonic tissue and circulating hemolymph cells of the melolonthine Antitrogus parvulus Britton. Isozyme analyses demonstrated that cell lines from both tissue sources expressed essentially the same isoforms of enzymes as A. parvulus larvae and thus confirmed the species of their origin. Karyotype analyses showed that cells from both tissue sources had accumulated changes in chromosome number and morphology during culture. Availability of melolonthine-derived cells should assist in vitro studies of the pathogens of this important group of beetles.