Comparative cytogenetic studies in Sus verrucosus, Sus celebensis and Sus scrofa vittatus (Suidae, Mammalia)

Abstract

Chromosome studies on the Javan warty pig (Sus verrucosus), the Sulawesi warty pig (S. celebensis) and a subspecies of the wild boar, S. scrofa vittatus, have revealed diploid chromosome numbers of 38. The morphology and C-band size of chromosome 10 are different in S. verrucosus and the two other species. Both S. verrucosus and S. celebensis have a Y chromosome that is larger than the Y chromosome of domestic and wild S. scrofa, and is submetacentric rather than metacentric. There are differences between all three species in the G-banding pattern of the long arm of the Y chromosome. The presence of 2n = 38 chromosomes in the Javan warty pig and the Sulawesi warty pig provides new strong evidence that the basic chromosome number in the genus Sus is 38. The differences in karyotype between these pigs (chromosome 10 and the Y chromosome) confirm that they are separate species.