Cytogenetic characterisation of the Caspian Pond Turtle, Mauremys caspica in Golestan and Mazandaran provinces, Iran (Reptilia: Testudines)

Abstract

Cytogenetic characteristics of the Caspian Pond Turtle, Mauremys caspica, in Golestan and Mazandaran provinces in the northern part of Iran show that the chromosome number is 2n = 52 and the arm number NF = 78. The karyotype consisted of 9 metacentric (M), 1 submetacentric (SM), 3 subtelocentric (ST) and 13 telocentric (T) chromosome pairs. The Centromeric Index ranges from 11.79 to 45.68, the arm ratio between 1.18 and 7.47, the relative length between 1.60 and 11.46, and the length variation between 1.05 and 7.48. Average total length of the chromosomes is 65.27 µm. The largest chromosome in this species is a pair of the metacentric chromosome. Location of NOR was determined on chromosome pair no. 10.

Keywords:

• Karyotype
• cytogenetics
• Mauremys caspica
• Iran
• Middle East

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Mr M. Ghasempouri and Dr S. Khodabandeh from Tarbiat Modares University, and Mrs N. Okhli and Dr F. Ganji from Golestan University, for scientific and technical support.