The first cytogenetic description of Euleptes europaea (Gené, 1839) from Northern Sardinia reveals the highest diploid chromosome number among sphaerodactylid geckos (Sphaerodactylidae, Squamata)

Ekaterina Gornung,Fabio Mosconi,Flavia Annesi,Riccardo Castiglia

doi:10.3897/compcytogen.v7i2.4881

Abstract

The karyotype of a sphaerodactylid gecko Euleptes europaea (Gené, 1839) was assembled for the first time in this species. It is made of 2n = 42 gradually decreasing in size chromosomes, the highest chromosome number so far acknowledged in the family Sphaerodactylidae. The second chromosome pair of the karyotype appears slightly heteromorphic in the male individual. Accordingly, FISH with a telomeric probe revealed an uneven distribution of telomeric repeats on the two homologues of this pair, which may be indicative of an XY sex-determination system in the species, to be further investigated.

Highlights

In contrast with the other three species widespread on the Italian territory, the current geographic range of E. europaea is restricted to Sardinia, Corsica, small mainland and insular areas of Liguria and Tuscany, including the isles of Elba, Gorgona, Capraia, Pianosa, Montecristo, Giglio, and Giannutri, and to small offshore islands of southern France, Sardinia, and Corsica (Sindaco et al 2006), as well as to three islands of the Tunisian coast (Delaugerre et al 2011)
The telomeric probe was commercially synthesized as two oligonucleotides (GGGTTA)7 and (TAACCC)7 both end-labeled with Cy3 (Bio-Fab Research)
The karyotype of E. europaea is composed of 21 chromosome pairs gradually decreasing in size (Fig. 1a)

Summary

Introduction

Keywords Sauria, Gekkota, karyotype, chromosomal evolution, telomeric repeats, XY male heterogamety The karyotype of E. europaea is composed of 21 chromosome pairs gradually decreasing in size (Fig. 1a).

Results

Conclusion