Abstract
Lizards of the family Teiidae (infraorder Scincomorpha) were formerly known as Macroteiidae. There are 13 species of such lizards in the Amazon, in the genera Ameiva (Meyer, 1795), Cnemidophorus (Wagler, 1830), Crocodilurus (Spix, 1825), Dracaena (Daudin, 1801), Kentropyx (Spix, 1825) and Tupinambis (Daudin, 1802). Cytogenetic studies of this group are restricted to karyotype macrostructure. Here we give a compilation of cytogenetic data of the family Teiidae, including classic and molecular cytogenetic analysis of Ameiva ameiva (Linnaeus, 1758), Cnemidophorus sp.1, Kentropyx calcarata (Spix, 1825), Kentropyx pelviceps (Cope, 1868) and Tupinambis teguixin (Linnaeus, 1758) collected in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Ameiva ameiva, Kentropyx calcarata and Kentropyx pelviceps have 2n=50 chromosomes classified by a gradual series of acrocentric chromosomes. Cnemidophorus sp.1 has 2n=48 chromosomes with 2 biarmed chromosomes, 24 uniarmed chromosomes and 22 microchromosomes. Tupinambis teguixin has 2n=36 chromosomes, including 12 macrochromosomes and 24 microchromosomes. Constitutive heterochromatin was distributed in the centromeric and terminal regions in most chromosomes. The nucleolus organizer region was simple, varying in its position among the species, as evidenced both by AgNO3 impregnation and by hybridization with 18S rDNA probes. The data reveal a karyotype variation with respect to the diploid number, fundamental number and karyotype formula, which reinforces the importance of increasing chromosomal analyses in the Teiidae.
Highlights
The family Teiidae is composed of lizards formerly known as macroteiids that are restricted to the New World (Giugliano et al 2007, Harvey et al 2012)
The family Teiidae can be divided into two chromosomal groups: the Dracaena group, which has a karyotype with 34–38 chromosomes and a clear distinction of macrochromosomes (M) from microchromosomes, and the Ameiva group, which has a diploid number ranging from 46–56 chromosomes, with no distinction between macrochromosomes and microchromosomes (Gorman 1970)
The diploid number for all specimens of Ameiva ameiva, Kentropyx calcarata and Kentropyx pelviceps was 50 chromosomes, and the karyotypic formula was classified by a gradual series of acrocentric chromosomes (Fig. 2a, i and m)
Summary
The family Teiidae is composed of lizards formerly known as macroteiids that are restricted to the New World (Giugliano et al 2007, Harvey et al 2012). Most chromosome data for teiid lizards refer only to the determination of diploid numbers and karyotype formulae (Fritts 1969, Gorman 1970, Lowe et al 1970, Robinson 1973, Cole et al 1979, de Smet et al 1981, Navarro et al 1981, Ward and Cole 1986, Cole et al 1995, Markezich et al 1997, Rocha et al 1997, Walker et al 1997, Manriquen-Moran et al 2000, Veronese et al 2003) Some species of this family have, been analyzed in detail with respect to their chromosomal structure and organization, as revealed by differential staining techniques, such as the detection of heterochromatin and nucleolar organizer regions (NORs), as well as chromosomal physical mapping of DNA sequences (Bickham et al 1976, Bull 1978, PeccininiSeale and Almeida 1986, Porter et al 1991, Rocha et al 1997, Veronese et al 2003, Peccinini-Seale et al 2004, Santos et al 2007, Santos et al 2008).
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