The water buffalo: evolutionary, clinical and molecular cytogenetics

Abstract

Although buffalo population is about 1/10 of that of cattle, buffaloes interest a larger human population, especially in the east countries. For this reason, this species is of great economic importance. Two main species of buffalo are found in the world: the Asiatic (water) buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer). These two different species have both two different sub-species differing in diploid number but interbreeding within the same genus. The water buffalo, especially the river type (2n=50), is the most important one and a summary of the most important cytogenetic findings obtained until now in this species is reported in this paper.