C-heterochromatin variation in the karyotype reflects species level distinction between Erinaceus roumanicus and E. concolor (Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae) in Turkey

Abstract

The distributions of C-heterochromatin blocks and nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) were studied in hedgehogs from the European (Thrace) and the Asiatic (Anatolia) parts of Turkey. Karyotypes with 48 chromosomes were found in all the specimens examined. The distribution of large heterochromatic blocks in autosomes was different between samples from Thrace and Anatolia in respect of the presence of a distal block in the autosome no. 15. These two chromosomal types correspond to the karyotypes designated as E II and E I by Mandahl (1978). The comparison with other published data shows that the karyotype E II is found within the range of Erinaceus roumanicus, whereas the karyotype EI occurs within the range of E. concolor. Both the species thus differ consistently in the distribution of C-heterochromatin blocks in their karyotypes. The NORs were found in five autosomal pairs of E. roumanicus, and in four autosomal pairs of E. concolor. The position of NORs in individual autosomal pairs may be variable, and two distinct variants were observed in the samples from northern and central/southern Anatolia, respectively. This variation may reflect the presence of two lineages within E. concolor that were indicated in previous phylogeographic studies.

Cytogenetic karyotype analysis in selected species of the Erinaceidae family

“…The first is Erinaceus europaeus , known as the western European hedgehog. It is found mainly in northern Europe and Scandinavia, but also in central Asia (1). The second species is the eastern European hedgehog ( Erinaceus roumanicus ) (1), known as the northern white-breasted hedgehog.…”

“…It is found mainly in northern Europe and Scandinavia, but also in central Asia (1). The second species is the eastern European hedgehog ( Erinaceus roumanicus ) (1), known as the northern white-breasted hedgehog. It inhabits central and eastern Europe (Poland, Austria, Ukraine, and Russia), the peninsulas of the Baltic Sea, the Balkans, and north-eastern Turkey (3).…”

“…Taxonomically, it was originally recognised as the subspecies E. europaeus and later as the subspecies E. concolor . Today, E. roumanicus constitutes a separate species, and along with E. concolor (Martin 1838), it is grouped among the eastern European (white-breasted) hedgehogs (1). Mandahl (13) was the first to designate E. roumanicus as an eastern European species.…”

“…The chromosome complement includes, within autosomes, 12 pairs of metacentric chromosomes (M), six pairs of submetacentric chromosomes (SM), four pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes (ST), and one pair of acrocentric chromosomes (A). The metacentric sex chromosomes are made up of a medium-sized X chromosome and a small Y chromosome (1).…”

“…(9) to study the karyotype of the African pygmy hedgehog and by Arslan et al . (1) to determine the karyotype and the differences in heterochromatin distribution between two species of hedgehogs found in Turkey. Sanchez et al .…”