Abstract
The karyotypes of seven species of Australian Rattus were studied by G-banding. When taken in conjunction with molecular data, it is shown that rate of chromosome evolution in the R. sordidus group (R. sordidus, R. villosissimus and R. colletti) has been remarkably rapid and directed entirely towards changes of the Robertsonian type. From data on hybrid fertility it is concluded that the presence of fusions with monobrachial homology contributes more to reduced fertility than fusions per se or genetic differences.
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Baverstock, P.R., Gelder, M. & Jahnke, A. Chromosome evolution in Australian Rattus — G-banding and hybrid meiosis. Genetica 60, 93–103 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00127495
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00127495