Chromosome Homologies in Potorous tridactylus and P. longipes (Marsupialia: Macropodiae) Based on G_Banding Patterns

Abstract

The diploid chromosome number of P. tridactylus is 2n = 12 boys, 13 girls, whereas P. longipes is 2n = 24. G-banding analysis revealed that the P. tridactylus karyotype can be artificially constructed from P. longipes chromosomes by assuming one tandem fusion, five centric fusions and one pericentric inversion. It is concluded that the ancestral Potorous karyotype was similar to P. longipes (2n = 24) and that fusion events have been important in the evolution of the P. tridactylus karyotype.