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.