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The nucleolus constitutes a cytologically visible phenotype for ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Nucleolar size, as determined by silver staining, is a good indicator of cell proliferation rate and biosynthetic activity. Nevertheless, the relationship between rDNA content and sexual dimorphism for nucleolar size is not well documented. In the present study, the impact of sex and ploidy level on nucleolar size is investigated in three haplo/diploid and three diplo/diploid species of insect. Nucleolar sizes are found to be proportional to ploidy level in the haplo/diploid hymenopterans Trypoxylon albitarse and Nasonia vitripennis. Conversely, in the ant Messor barbarus, nucleolar sizes are larger in haploid males (winged) than diploid females (apterous). Among the diplo/diploid species, evidence for gene dosage compensation on nucleolar activity is suggested by the absence of sex differences in Drosophila simulans, a species in …