Abstract
The chromosome complements of cultured cells of the Falconidae are characterized by their low values: 2n=52 in Falco tinnunculus. 2n=68 in Buteo buteo, 64 in an unknown species (Accipiter nisus ?). The Strigidae have high chromosome numbers: 82 in Strix aluco and Athene noctua, 92 in Tyto alba. In some species the boundary between macro- and microchromosomes is obsolete and in Tyto alba all the chromosome pairs but one are acrocentric. — In all birds examined the female heterogametic sex has two heterochromosomes ZW. In two cases the Z is the fourth or fifth largest as in other birds, in three cases it is the biggest, but the percentual ratio between the length of the Z and that of the haploid set is rather constant. — In the subclass Carinatae. the distribution of the haploid number frequencies is not normal. It is postulated that there are some factors limiting the random scattering of the values.
Riassunto
Sono stati studiati i cariogrammi di cellule in coltura di alcuni Falconidae e Strigidae. I Falconidae si distinguono per il basso numero di cromosomi:
2n = 52 in Falco tinnunculus, 2n = 68 in Buteo buteo, 64 in una specie indeterminata (Accipiter nisus ?). Gli Strigidae si distinguono invece per l'elevato numero: 82 in Strix aluco e in Athene noctua, 92 in Tyto alba.
In alcune specie i confini tra macro- e microcromosomi sono indistinti (Figg. 10, 13); in Tyto alba tutti i cromosomi salvo una coppia sono acrocentrici.
In tutti gli uccelli esaminati il sesso femminile è eterogametico ed ha la formula ZW. In due casi il cromosoma Z è il quarto o il quinto per lunghezza come negli altri uccelli, in tre casi è il più grande, ma il rapporto percentuale tra la lunghezza di Z e quella di un assetto aploide è piuttosto costante.
Gli autori rilevano che presso i Carinatae la distribuzione delle frequenze dei numeri aploidi non è di tipo normale ed avanzano l'ipotesi che vi siano alcuni fattori che limitano la dispersione casuale dei valori.
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The authors contributed equally to the paper. They are pleased to dedicate it to Prof. Dr. J. Seileron the occasion of the 80th birthday.
Supported by a grant of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.
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Renzoni, A., Vegni-Talluri, M. The karyograms of some Falconiformes and Strigiformes. Chromosoma 20, 133–150 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335203
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335203