Abstract
We studied the karyotypes of two doradids, the rare and endangered Wertheimeria maculata and a derived Amazonian species, Hassar wilderi. Cytogenetic characterization was assessed using conventional staining (Giemsa), C-banding, and NOR banding. Both species had 2n = 58 chromosomes but differed in their chromosome formulae, 24 m + 14sm + 8st + 12a for W. maculata and 32 m + 16sm + 10st for H. wilderi. In W. maculata heterochromatin was mainly telomeric, and three chromosomes had a fully heterochromatic arm; in H. wilderi heterochromatin was also predominantly telomeric and evident in many more chromosomes. Hassar wilderi also presented one pair of homologues with a fully heterochromatic arm. In both species, nucleolar organizer regions were restricted to one pair of subtelocentric chromosomes. Assuming a basal position for W. maculata, we hypothesized that underlying conserved diploid and NOR-bearing chromosome numbers, chromosomal evolution in doradids has involved pericentric inversions and an increase of heterochromatic blocks.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments, Silvia G. Pompolo for using her image processing lab, and Claudio Oliveira for allowing access to his Neotropical fish database. Emily Toriani corrected the final English version. This work was partially supported by CNPq, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, and Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa de Mato Grosso/FAPEMAT.
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Eler, E.S., Dergam, J.A., Vênere, P.C. et al. The karyotypes of the thorny catfishes Wertheimeria maculata Steindachner, 1877 and Hassar wilderi Kindle, 1895 (Siluriformes: Doradidae) and their relevance in doradids chromosomal evolution. Genetica 130, 99–103 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-006-0023-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-006-0023-4