title: Cytogenetics of vesper mice, Calomys (Sigmodontinae): a new karyotype from the Puna region and its implication for chromosomal phylogeny.
abstract: The karyotype of specimens identified as Calomys lepidus, trapped at 3600 m above sea level in the Puna region, northwestern Argentina, was studied. All specimens analysed showed a 2n = 44 (NF(a) = 68) asymmetrical karyotype with 13 pairs of metacentric/submetacentric autosomes and 7 pairs of telocentric chromosomes. The X was a medium-sized submetacentric and the Y a small submetacentric chromosome. This karyotype was quite different from that previously described for C. lepidus from Peru (2n = 36, NF(a) = 68). However, both karyotypes may be easily interrelated by means of four centric fusions, and the chromosome complement of Punian C. lepidus fitted into a previously proposed chromosomal phylogeny of the genus. In addition, the spermatozoa of specimens corresponded to a morphological pattern previously described for other species of Calomys.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos, CEFYBO-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lasserre
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piantanida
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Vitullo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D033481:Chromosomes, Mammalian; D005260:Female; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D016205:Sigmodontinae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014960:X Chromosome