The chromosome complement of the Horsfield's shrew, Crocidura horsfieldi (Soricidae--Insectivora) was studied and the diploid number established to be 2n = 38. Comparisons were made with other species of the genera.
SummaryThe structural polymorphism in the karyotype of the acridid, Gastrimargus africanus orientalis is presented and the C-banding pattern of this species is compared with Acrida turrita and Aiolopus sp. 2 along with the percentage of heterochromatin in each species.
The behavior of the sex chromosomes during meiosis in the house shrew, Suncus murinus, shows some interesting features. Both X- and Y-chromosomes are large and biarmed and have huge segments of C-band material in noncentromeric areas. A distinct chiasma is formed between the short arms of the X and Y chromosomes and the heterochromatic regions in the bivalents show desynapsis in the form of a bulge.
Chromosomes of the Indian taxon of Crocidura horsfieldi, the Indian house shrew, Suncus murinus and the pigmy shrew, S. etruscus are analysed. The karyotype of C. horsfieldi, has 2nϭ38 and is compared with the karyotypes of other species of Crocidura. The house shrew, S. murinus has a general karyotype with 2nϭ40 and the variant karyotypes have 2nϭ30, 31, 32, and 37. The karyotype of the pigmy shrew, S. etruscus consists of 42 chromosomes. The karyotypes of Crocidura, the general karyotype of S. murinus and that of S. etruscus are compared with each other to understand their cytological nearness. The possible role of pericentric inversions and Robertsonin fusions in the karyotype evolution of different species of the 2 genera are discussed.
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