Abstract
A C-banding and silver staining analysis of 12 species of Australian frogs of the genus Litoria, has shown that 6 morphologically distinct classes of secondary constrictions are present. These constrictions are distinguished by the distribution and type of C-banding chromatin and the distribution of silver staining material. Not all of these constrictions are nucleolus organizers. Groups of closely related species often share particular constrictions, although previously unencountered constrictions do occur in some species. It is argued that changes in position of nucleolar organizing constrictions is most easily explained by the amplification of latent nucleolus organizing sites. One of the more unusual features of this group of species is the shared similarity in gross chromosome morphology, contrasted to the extensive C-banding variation at secondary constriction sites. While in some of these cases chromosomal evolution has undoubtedly proceeded by the addition of heterochromatic segments, the predominant mechanism of change appears to involve the large scale transformation of euchromatin to heterochromatin.
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King, M. C-Banding studies on australian hylid frogs: secondary constriction structure and the concept of euchromatin transformation. Chromosoma 80, 191–217 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286300
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286300