The largest known chromosome number for a mammal, in a South American desert rodent.
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.
Contreras
L C
LC
Departamento de Biologia, Universidad de La Serena, Chile.
Torres-Mura
J C
JC
Spotorno
A E
AE
D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002875:Chromosomes; D004171:Diploidy; D005260:Female; D006570:Heterochromatin; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D012377:Rodentia / Q000235:genetics*
D006570:Heterochromatin