Premium
A comparative study of the chromosomes of rodents
Author(s) -
Cross James Cecil
Publication year - 1931
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1050520203
Subject(s) - cricetidae , biology , subspecies , karyotype , range (aeronautics) , chromosome , chromosomal translocation , chromosome number , evolutionary biology , zoology , morphology (biology) , muridae , genetics , materials science , composite material , gene
A comparative study has been made of fifteen species and subspecies of rodents to determine the range in number and variation in morphology of their chromosomes. The number range is between 40 and 86±, with an average number for known species of 52. In the family of Cricetidae there is little variation in chromosome number and a general similarity of the chromosomes. In the Muridae the range for known species is 40 to 42, but the chromosome morphology even of subspecies may be quite different. In Sciuridae a range of 48 to 62 has been found in different species. The greatest range in number is found in the Heteromyidae, 44 and 86± chromosomes having been found in two species. It is concluded that the stem number for rodents is close to 48 and that fragmentation and fusion account for variation in numbers, and these affect the morphology of the chromosomes. The evidence also indicates that variations in morphology are due to translocations and inversions, and possibly deletions accompanied by translocations.