The list of the chromosome races of the common shrew Sorex araneus (updated 2002)

Abstract

In 1996 the International Sorex araneus Cytogenetics Committee (ISACC) published a comprehensive list of 50 chromosome races of the common shrew Sorex araneus (Zima et . 1996). Since that time twenty one new races have been described and three races have been removed from the list. The present list summarises the data about races described since the 1996 publication. The rules introduced by Searle et ai (1991) and Hausser et al (1994) were followed in the compilation of the list. It can be considered a reference for further studies of evolutionary relationships between the chromosome races of Sorex araneus. A summary table of all the 68 known races, arranged alphabetically according to their names, is given. RESUMEEn suivant les principes de nomenclature des chromosomes de Sorex araneus (Searle et al. 1991) et ceux de la definition de ses races chromosomiques , PISACC (International Sorex araneus Cytogenetics Committee) a public en 1996 la premiere liste de races chromosomiques de 5. araneus (Zima et al., 1996). Elle comprenait 50 races chromosomiques. Depuis, 21 race nouvelles ont etc decrites et trois races ont etc eliminees de cette liste. Nous presentons ici la liste revisee des races chromosomiques de 5. araneus qui comprend actuellement 68 races.

A distinct chromosome race of the common shrew (Sorex araneus Linnaeus, 1758) within the Arctic Circle in European Russia

“…Due to its extensive chromosomal variation resulting from multiple Robertsonian fusions and whole-arm reciprocal translocations (WARTs) the species has been the focus of evolutionary studies coordinated since 1987 by the International Sorex araneus Cytogenetics Committee, ISACC . In the course of regular fi eld studies covering much of the huge species range -from Britain in the west to Baikal in the east -up to 70 chromosome races of S. araneus have incrementally been discovered and listed according to the proceedings of the ISACC meetings (Zima et al, 1996;Wójcik et al, 2003).…”

Standard DAPI karyotype of the common shrew Sorex araneus L. (Soricidae, Eulipotyphla)

“…This species varies both in chromosome number and morphology reflecting the multiple occurrences of Robertsonian fusions and wholearm reciprocal translocations. In particular, more than 70 different chromosome races have been identified, each characterised by a particular complement of biarmed autosomes (Wójcik et al, 2003).…”

Restricted Gene Flow at Specific Parts of the Shrew Genome in Chromosomal Hybrid Zones

“…The three pairs of metacentric autosomes af, bc, and tu as well as the sexual chromosomes are invariant, whereas the primitive acrocentric autosomes g to r may be distributed into various acrocentric and metacentric combinations. Together, these polymorphisms allowed more than 60 chromosome races to be described (Wó jcik et al 2003).…”