Abstract

The karyotypes of the bivalves Ostrea edulis (2 n=20), Crassostrea gigas (2 n=20), Mytilus galloprovincialis (2 n=28) and M. edulis (2 n=28) were obtained from mitotic metaphases of branchial tissue by means of a cellular suspension technique. The occurrence of metacentric, submetacentric and telocentric chromosomes in O. edulis as well as differences in size between Pair 1 and Pair 10 emphasize the cytological interest of this species compared to C. gigas which possesses only metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. The variation in Pair 2, which is telocentric in M. galloprovincialis and metacencentric in M. edulis, has been observed for the first time and may support taxological separation of these two species. The karyotypes of the mesogastropods Rissoa ventricosa (2 n=32) and Littorina neritoides (2 n=34) were obtained from mitotic metaphases of gonadal tissue by the same technique. Sexual chromosomes were identified in the karyotypes of R. ventricosa. At the beginning of spermatogenesis, the gonad of L. neritoides shows both haploid and polyploid meiotic metaphases which correspond to typical (germinal cells) and atypical (nurse cells) forms, respectively.

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