title: Three new karyotypes extend a Robertsonian fan in Ethiopian spiny mice of the genus Acomys I. Geoffroy, 1838 (Mammalia, Rodentia).
abstract: Three new karyotypes (2n=40, 44, 52) are described revealing what are probably new cryptic species of Ethiopian spiny mice. Two other diploid numbers have already been reported for the country (2n=36 and 68) and, overall, the five known karyotypic forms constitute a common lineage differentiated by a Robertsonian process. Such arrays of karyotypic forms are known as a 'Robertsonian fan'. This view of the situation in Ethiopian Acomys I. Geoffroy, 1838 is based on standard chromosomal morphology that reveals a constant FN (68) and needs further investigation of chromosome homology by differential staining and/or molecular cytogenetic techniques as well as further molecular phylogenetic analysis.
authors.affiliation: A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119071, Russia.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lavrenchenko
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Nadjafova
authors.forename: N Sh
authors.initials: NSh
authors.lastname: Bulatova
keywords: Acomys; Robertsonian variation; mammalian karyotype