Chromosome evolution in Dendropsophini (Amphibia: Anura: Hylinae)

PABLO SUAREZ; DARIO CARDOZO; DIEGO BALDO; MARTIN PEREYRA; JULIAN FAIVOVICH; VICTOR ORRICO; GLAUCILENE F. CATROLI; MAURO GRABIELE; PAULO BERNABÉ; CELIO F.B. HADDAD; CLEUSA YOSHIKO NAGAMACHI; JULIO CESAR PIECZARKA

CYTOGENETIC AND GENOME RESEARCH

KARGER

Lugar: Basel; Año: 2013 vol. 141 p. 295 - 308

1424-8581

Dendropsophini is the largest tribe within Hylidae with 234 described species. Although cytogenetic information is sparse, chromosome numbers and morphology have been considered as an important character system for systematic inferences in this group. Using a diversity of standard and molecular techniques, we describe the previously unknown karyotypes of Xenohyla, Scarthyla, and Sphaenorhrynchus genera, and provide new information on Dendropsophus and Lysapsus. Our results reveal a significant karyotype diversity among Dendropsophini species, with diploid numbers ranging from 2n = 22 in Scarthyla goinorum, 2n = 24 for Lysapsus, Scinax, Xenohyla, and almost all species of Sphaenorhynchus and Pseudis, 2n = 26 in Sphaenorhynchus carneus, 2n = 28 in Pseudis cardosoi, to 2n = 30 in Dendropsophus species; with additional numerical chromosomal variation due to the presence of B-chromosomes. Although Nucleolar Organizer Regions (NORs) and C-Banding patterns shows a high degree of variability, NORs positions in 2n = 22, 24, and 28 karyotypes, and C-banding patterns in Lysapsus and Pseudis, are informative cytological markers in phylogenetic contexts. Interstitial telomeric sequences reveal a diploid number reduction from 24 to 22 by chromosome fusion event. The diploid number of Xenohyla truncata confirms the state of 2n = 30 as a synapomorphy of Dendropsophus.