Abstract
In this paper, we provide a cytogenetic analysis of Eleutherodactylus guentheri, E. parvus and E. binotatus. All of the species had a diploid chromosomal number of 2n = 22. The karyotypes of E. guentheri and E. parvus were very similar and differed only slightly in the morphology of pair 2. These two species also had an NOR-bearing secondary constriction on the long arms of pair 6. The karyotype of E. binotatus differed from those of E. guentheri and E. parvus in the morphology and size of the chromosomes, in the number of chromosomal arms, in the NOR location (detected on the short arms of pair 1), and in the pattern of heterochromatin. These results reinforce the differences between E. guentheri and E. binotatus and support the existence of two species group. Five individuals of E. binotatus showed morphs for pairs 2 and 3. These morphs probably arose from the translocation of a segment from one chromosome of pair 3 to a homologue of pair 2. In addition, some mitotic metaphases of E. binotatus showed spontaneous chromosomal breaks which suggested that there were sites of fragility. Meiotic diakinesis showed multiple chromosomal rings, indicating the occurrence of multiple translocations, as previously reported by other investigators. These data suggest that, in addition to fission and fusion, other chromosomal rearrangements were probably involved in the differentiation of the karyotypes of these species of Eleutherodactylus, especially E. binotatus.
Highlights
The genus Eleutherodactylus contains nearly 700 species (Frost, 2002), making it the most speciose group of vertebrates
We describe the karyotype of E. parvus and re-analyze the chromosomes of E. guentheri and E. binotatus
Eleven specimens of Eleutherodactylus guentheri, ten specimens of E. parvus and eight specimens of E. binotatus were collected in the Parque Natural Municipal da Serra do Itapety (PNMSI), Mogi das Cruzes (23°31’20” S, 46°11’52” W), São Paulo State, Brazil; one female of E. parvus and two males of E. binotatus were collected at Ubatuba (23°26’09” S, 45°04’10” W), São Paulo State, and two females of E. guentheri and three females of E. binotatus were collected in the Parque Estadual de Ilha Bela (PEIB) (23°46’40” S, 45°21’28” W), São Paulo State
Summary
The genus Eleutherodactylus contains nearly 700 species (Frost, 2002), making it the most speciose group of vertebrates. Because of the high diversity among Eleutherodactylus species neither the systematic relationships within the genus nor its detailed taxonomy have been satisfactorily resolved (Kaiser et al, 1995). The genus has been divided into five subgenera (Euhias, Graugastor, Eleutherodactylus, Pelorius and Syrrhopus) (Lynch and Duellman, 1997), with the subgenus Eleutherodactylus consisting of more than 20 species groups. Of more than 30 known Brazilian species, 22 occur in southern and southeastern Brazil, mainly in the Atlantic forest (Castanho and Haddad, 2000). The lack of biological data for South American species of Eleutherodactylus hampers our understanding of the origin of the species in this genus and their phylogenetic relationships to species in other regions
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