Variation in C-stained chromosome regions in European hedgehogs (Insectivora, Mammalia)

Abstract

European hedgehogs were studied by C‐ and G‐banding techniques. Animals were sampled from several localities in Europe, but mainly from the Scandinavian countries. The interest was focused on the presence or absence of large autosomal C‐blocks in individual chromosome pairs, and on the incidence of C‐band variants. With respect to number and distribution of such blooks five different karyotypes could be distinguished in the material, three belonging to the Western hedgehogs and two to the Eastern ones. These dissimilarities were the most significative differences between karyotypes. The geographical distribution of the five karyotypes is discussed with reference to existing subspecies recognition. The large distal C‐blocks appearing in 2–4 chromosome pairs were highly polymorphic in size, reflected in a high frequency of heteromorphic pairs. An attempt was made to shed some light on the problem of a continuous or discontinuous type of variation of the C‐blocks and, therefore, a statistical method was applied to quantitative data. Only one sample of 22 animals from southern Sweden was regarded as informative, indicating that the size variation of the C‐blocks in one chromosome pair was bi‐ or trimodal, and thus discontinuous. Contrarily, the size distribution of the C‐blocks in the other two pairs seemed to be continuous, although their mode of variation differed slightly.

Localization of nucleolar organizing regions in European hedgehogs (Insectivora, Mammalia)

“…Table 2). Out of a total material of 91 animals, 67 were analyzed by the C-staining technique for variation of C-heterochromatin (see MANDAHL 1978). Of the latter, 28 were successfully subjected to the silver-staining technique in order to localize the sites of nucleolar organizing regions, followed by G-banding for chromosome identification.…”

“…Biopsies from lung and testis were used for the tissue cultures. The culture and chromosome techniques were the same as described earlier (MANDAHL 1978).…”

Interspecies hybridization and factors of its formation in the East-European mammalian fauna

“…За цитогенетичними даними обидва види ви-явлені в окол. Кракова [145] і Москви [110], проте гібридів звідти не описано.…”

Giant sex chromosomes retained within the Portuguese lineage of the field vole (Microtus agrestis)

“…The presence of large blocks of heterochromatin has been reported in other mammals, and one of the features associated with that is variation in size and disposition of the heterochromatin between individuals and between populations within species, mediated by processes such as unequal crossing-over (Mandahl 1978). One particularly well-studied example of this is the western hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) where different populations in western Europe have large blocks of heterochromatin on different autosomes (Mandahl 1978;Searle and Erskine 1985).…”

“…One particularly well-studied example of this is the western hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) where different populations in western Europe have large blocks of heterochromatin on different autosomes (Mandahl 1978;Searle and Erskine 1985).…”