The Chromosomes of 4 Genera of Possums From the Family Petauridae (Marsupialia, Diprotodonta)

Abstract

The standard and C-banded (four species) karyotypes of six species of the family Petauridae (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri, Petaurus australis, P. breviceps, P. norfolcensis, Dactylopsila trivirgata and Dactylonax palpator) are described. The G-banded karyotype of P. norfolcensis is also described. Gymnobelideus and Petaurus have diploid chromosome number of 22. All three species of Petaurus have a similar karyotype, consisting of biarmed autosomes and very small sex chromosomes, which differs from Gymnobelideus by a minimum of one chromosomal rearrangement of each autosome. Dactylopsila and Dactylonax have similar karyotypes with diploid chromosome numbers of 18. The relationship of these two genera to Petaurus is still uncertain but all members of this family differ from Pseudocheiridae in the small size of the sex chromosomes.