Gynogenetic diploids, tetraploids, or octoploids, and a path to polyploidy in anuran amphibians.

Abstract

Unreduced gametes have been implicated in the evolution of polyploid species of plants and animals and are normally produced by female anuran amphibians. Such eggs may initiate the evolution of polyploid species that have arisen independently in several anuran families. Polyploid females could also produce unreduced eggs that might lead to species with higher ploidy levels, or their eggs may develop gynogenetically to reduce the ploidy level. Diploid Hyla chrysoscelis (2n = 24) and tetraploid H. versicolor (4n = 48) are sibling cryptic species of North American grey treefrogs. Artificial crosses using H. versicolor females and genetically distant diploid males were performed to produce haploid H. versicolor and to assess the production of unreduced eggs in this tetraploid species. Gynogenetic diploid (haploid H. versicolor), allotriploid, gynogenetic tetraploid, allopentaploid, autohexaploid, and gynogenetic octoploid tadpoles were confirmed using chromosome counts from tadpole tail tip squashes. The transformation and survival of different ploidies varied. Gynogenetic diploids transformed but expressed aspects of haploid syndrome and died before or shortly after transformation.