Cytogenetic Characteristics of Two Species of the Genus Pseudophoxinus Bleeker, 1860 (Cypriniformes: Leuciscidae) from Anatolia, Turkey

Abstract

The karyotypes of two Anatolian endemic leuciscid species, Pseudophoxinus alii Kiiqiik, 2007 and P. elizavetae Bogutskaya, Kiiqiik & Atalay, 2007, were studied using conventional cytogenetic methods. The dip-loid chromosome numbers were invariably 2n = 50. The chromosome morphology in the karyotypes was as follows: 18 metacentric, 24 submetacentric and eight subtelo-acrocentric chromosomes in P. alii and eight metacentric, 34 submetacentric and eight subtelo-acrocentric chromosomes in P. elizavetae. Heteromorphic sex chromosomes were not observed in the two species. The largest chromosome pair in the karyotypes of P. alii and P. elizavetae was a subtelo-acrocentric. C-bands were determined on the pericentromeric regions of the most of the chromosomes in P. alii and on the pericentromeric regions of some chromosomes in P. elizavetae. Multiple nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) were observed in the two species. A review of the data on the karyotypes of 13 species of the genus Pseudophoxinus occurring in Turkey is presented.