Abstract
Ameivula is as a new genus of Teiidae family that emerged after extensive revision of species that comprised the former complex of species called Cnemidophorus group. Its species has a wide distribution from the northeast of Brazil to northern Argentina. Cytogenetic studies in the Teiidae family have shown that karyotypical data are important tools in phylogenetic and systematic studies within this group allowing to determine the position of species in the family. Thus, this study aimed to describe the karyotype of Ameivula ocellifera (Spix, 1825) from Picos, Piauí state in the Brazilian Northeast. Specimens were collected from August 2014 to October 2015 using interception traps and pitfalls, mounted randomly along the Caatinga area. The animals were collected and transported to Federal Institute of Piauí, campus Picos, where was carried out all laboratory procedures. Individuals analyzed showed a diploid number of 2n = 50 for both sexes, with karyotype composed by 30 macrochromosomes and 20 microchromosomes of telocentric and subtelocentric types. There were no heteromorphic sex chromosomes in the studied specimens. C-band technique evidenced the heterochromatic blocks in pericentromeric and telomeric regions of chromosomes. The nucleolar organizing regions appeared as a simple unit located at the terminal portion of the long arm of chromosomal pair number 5. The chromosomal characteristics of A. ocellifera analyzed do not show divergences regarding individuals from other regions. However, the nucleolar organizing regions seems to be a good chromosomal marker that permits to distinguish the species already studied.
Highlights
The Teiidae family is a group of lizards comprising 160 species distributed in three subfamilies: Teiinae integrates the genera Ameiva Meyer 1795, Ameivula (Spix, 1825), Aurivela (Bell, 1843), Aspidoscelis Fitzinger 1843, Contomastix (Dumésil & Bibron, 1839), Cnemidophorus Wagler 1830, Dicrodon Duméril & Bibron 1839, Holcosus (Cope, 1862) Kentropyx Spix 1825, Medopheos (Bocourt, 1874) and Teius Merrem 1820; Tupinambinae includes the genera Crocodilurus Spix 1825, Dracaena Daudin 1802, Salvator (Dumésil & Bibron, 1839) and Tupinambis (Daudin, 1802); and Callopistinae with only Callopistes Gravenhorst 1838 (HARVEY; UGUETO; GUTBERLET, 2012; UETZ, 2019)
In the '70s Teiidae was divided into three groups based on the chromosomal characteristics of its members: (1) a group consisting of the genera Dracaena, Callopistes, Crocodilurus and Tupinambis, with a diploid number of 2n = 34-38, divided into five to six pairs of metacentric macrochromosomes and one satellite in pair 2; (2) a group formed by the genera Ameiva, Dicrodon, Kentropyx, Teius, and Cnemidophorus of which of the latter, some species became Ameivula, with diploid number 2n = 46-56 with many acrocentric chromosomes; and (3) a group with the microteiids
Ameivula is a new genus that accommodates the species that belonged to the former group Cnemidophorus ocellifera
Summary
The Teiidae family is a group of lizards comprising 160 species distributed in three subfamilies: Teiinae integrates the genera Ameiva Meyer 1795, Ameivula (Spix, 1825), Aurivela (Bell, 1843), Aspidoscelis Fitzinger 1843, Contomastix (Dumésil & Bibron, 1839), Cnemidophorus Wagler 1830, Dicrodon Duméril & Bibron 1839, Holcosus (Cope, 1862) Kentropyx Spix 1825, Medopheos (Bocourt, 1874) and Teius Merrem 1820; Tupinambinae includes the genera Crocodilurus Spix 1825, Dracaena Daudin 1802, Salvator (Dumésil & Bibron, 1839) and Tupinambis (Daudin, 1802); and Callopistinae with only Callopistes Gravenhorst 1838 (HARVEY; UGUETO; GUTBERLET, 2012; UETZ, 2019). Pericentric inversions, fusions and fissions may have been responsible for the karyotypic diversification of some of the species, e.g., those belonging Cnemidophorus genus, in which chromosome numbers in diploid species vary between 2n = 46 and 52. In triploid species, they vary from 3n = 69 to 71, and it is of 4n = 92 chromosomes in tetraploid species (GORMAN, 1970; PECCININI-SEALE, 1981, 1989)
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