Latest Articles from Comparative Cytogenetics Latest 2 Articles from Comparative Cytogenetics https://compcytogen.pensoft.net/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 13:25:23 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://compcytogen.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from Comparative Cytogenetics https://compcytogen.pensoft.net/ Integrative analysis reveals cryptic speciation linked to habitat differentiation within Albanian populations of the anomalous blues (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Polyommatus Latreille, 1804) https://compcytogen.pensoft.net/article/90558/ Comparative Cytogenetics 16(4): 211-242

DOI: 10.3897/CompCytogen.v16.i4.90558

Authors: Laurian Parmentier, Roger Vila, Vladimir Lukhtanov

Abstract: The Balkan Peninsula is one of the greatest hotspots for biodiversity in Europe. While the region has been investigated thoroughly, some parts remain understudied and may still harbour undiscovered diversity, even in well-studied organisms such as Lepidoptera. Here we investigated the group of the so-called anomalous blue butterflies, also known as ‘brown complex’ of the subgenus Agrodiaetus Hübner, 1822 including the taxa of the entire Polyommatus aroaniensis (Brown, 1976) species complex. This species complex is distributed in the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula and known to be represented by three closely related allopatric species, differentiated by their chromosome numbers (n) and mitochondrial (mt) DNA. These are P. aroaniensis sensu stricto (Southern Greece, Peloponnese, n=47–48; mt haplogroup aroa1), P. timfristos Lukhtanov, Vishnevskaya et Shapoval, 2016 (Central Greece, Attika, n=38, aroa2) and P. orphicus Kolev, 2005 (North-Eastern Greece, Southern Bulgaria, n=41–42, orph1). Based on an analysis of chromosomal, molecular and morphological markers, we demonstrate that a fourth taxon of this species complex exists in Albania. This taxon possesses the mt haplogroup aroa3, which is the most differentiated within the entire P. aroaniensis species complex, and the karyotype (n=42–43), which differs by one fixed chromosome fission from P. orphicus. The Albanian taxon seems to be ecologically specialised (habitat on dark-coloured, ophiolitic substrate soils) and differs in colouration (wing reflectance) from the others taxa of the P. aroaniensis species group. Based on the evidence here presented and following the current view of the taxonomy of the group, we propose considering the Albanian taxon as a new species, here described as Polyommatus lurae sp. nov. At the contact zone between the new species and P. orphicus, in addition to typical ones, we detected specimens with haplogroup orph2, karyotype n=43 and intermediate morphology, which seem to represent P. lurae × P. orphicus hybrids.

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Research Article Tue, 15 Nov 2022 18:14:23 +0200
Chromosome polymorphism in Bulgarian populations of the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius Pallas 1771) https://compcytogen.pensoft.net/article/1670/ Comparative Cytogenetics 3(1): 1-9

DOI: 10.3897/compcytogen.v3i1.2

Authors: T Chassovnikarova, Nasko Atanasov, H Dimitrov

Abstract: Chromosome polymorphism in Bulgarian populations of the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius Pallas, 1771) has been described. The diploid chromosome number is 2n=48 (NFa = 54). In the karyotype of 3 specimens from the Iskar region, the presence of an additional B chromosome has been established for the first time. The autosomes are 19 acrocentric pairs, continuously decreasing in size, and 4 pairs of bi-armed chromosomes, barely distinguishable by size and location of the centromere. Specimens with 3 pairs of metacentric chromosomes were firstly described in Bulgaria for the regions of Iskar and Omurtag. The localization of heterochromatin in the centromeric regions of the chromosomes, blocks of heterochromatin of different sizes, as well as intercalated bands, distinguishable in weakly spiraled chromosomes are found. Telomeric heterochromatin is present in the largest autosomal pair and in two of the middle-sized autosomal pairs. The largest and smallest pairs of be-armed chromosomes do not have centromeric heterochromatin, whereas all the other autosomal pairs do. The presence of a NOR in 6 chromosomal pairs is established. Two of the pairs exhibited pericentromeric NORs, whereas the other 4 displayed telomeric NORs. The karyotype analysis illustrates the chromosome and genome polymorphism of A. agrarius in Bulgarian populations.

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Research Article Thu, 6 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0300