African Zoology

Published by: Zoological Society of Southern Africa

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African Zoology 42(2):268-278. 2007
https://doi.org/10.3377/1562-7020(2007)42[268:KAOFTS]2.0.CO;2

Karyological analysis of four Tunisian species of Anura (Amphibia)
No Access
Nabil Amor
Gennaro Aprea
Noureddine Chatti
Sarra Farjallah
Gaetano Odierna
Khaled Said

Received: September 15, 2006; Accepted: June 7, 2007

Author Affiliations

Nabil Amor

Unité de Recherche: Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources, UR/09-30. Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia

Author for correspondence:

Gennaro Aprea

Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Cinthia 8, 80126 Naples, Italy

Noureddine Chatti

Unité de Recherche: Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources, UR/09-30. Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia

Sarra Farjallah

Unité de Recherche: Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources, UR/09-30. Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia

Gaetano Odierna

Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Cinthia 8, 80126 Naples, Italy

Khaled Said

Unité de Recherche: Génétique, Biodiversité et Valorisation des Bioressources, UR/09-30. Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia

Copyright & Usage

© The Zoological Society of Southern Africa.

ABSTRACT

We present the results of a chromosomal study (C-, Ag-NOR-, endonuclease digestion, DAPI and CMA3 banding) carried out on four Tunisian species of amphibians: Bufo mauritanicus, B. viridis, Rana saharica and Discoglossus pictus auritus. For comparative purposes, our cytogenetic analysis was also extended to Moroccan specimens of B. mauritanicus and D. pictus scovazzi. Tunisian specimens of B. viridis display chromosome and chromatin characters very similar to those found in other specimens, both North African and Euro-Asian. By contrast, chromosomes of Tunisian specimens of B. mauritanicus differed from the Moroccan specimens in presenting a different Q-banding phenotype. Tunisian specimens of R. saharica displayed the plesiomorphic Pelophylax karyotype of 2n = 26 biarmed chromosomes and NORs on the eleventh pair. The Tunisian specimens of D. pictus auritus had the typical D. pictus 2n = 28 karyotype with the 13th pair of telocentric elements, in contrast to the Spanish auritus specimens that display the chromosomes of this pair shaped as metacentric. Similarities and differences of the four studied Tunisians anuran taxa are discussed with references to published data on their relatives.


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Responsible Editor: P. le F.N. Mouton

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Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (177 KB) : Rights & Permissions 

Nabil Amor, Guillermo Velo-Antón, Sarra Farjallah & Khaled Said. (2010) Genetic Variation Across Tunisian Populations of the Anuran Species Discoglossus pictus and Pelophylax saharicus. African Zoology 45:1, 121-128.
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Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (262 KB) : Rights & Permissions 

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