The largest known chromosome number for a mammal,in a South American desert rodent |
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Authors: | L C Contreras J C Torres-Mura A E Spotorno |
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Institution: | (1) Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla, 599 La Serena, Chile;(2) Sección Zoología, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Casilla, 787 Santiago, Chile;(3) Departamento de Biología Celular y Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Casilla, 70 061 Santiago 7, Chile |
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Abstract: | Summary
Tympanoctomys barrerae, a desert specialist member of the family Octodontidae, until now thought to be conservative, and ancestral to South American hystricognath rodents, presents the highest diploid chromosome number (2n=102) known in a mammal. Unexpectedly, its karyotype was found to be composed mainly of metacentric to sub-metacentric chromosomes. Mechanisms by which such a karyotype may have been derived are discussed. |
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Keywords: | Rodent hystricognath octodontid chromosome karyology heterochromatin |
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