MITOTIC AND MEIOTIC CHROMOSOMES OF ARTEMIA (BRANCHIOPODA) FROM POPULATIONS OF LA PAMPA PROVINCE, ARGENTINA

S. RODRÍGUEZ GIL; A. G. PAPESCHI; R. G. COHEN

JOURNAL OF CRUSTACEAN BIOLOGY

Año: 1998 vol. 18 p. 36 - 41

0278-0372

Three populations of Artemia from La Pampa Province, Argentina, were cytogenetically analyzed: Salinas Grandes de Hidalgo. Laguna Callaqueo, and Laguna Colorada Chica. Both mitotic and male meiotic chromosomes were studied. All 3 populations share the same diploid (2n = 44) and/or haploid chromosome number (n = 22), and hence were deterrnined as Artemia persimilis Piccinelli and Prosdocimi. Although bivalents decrease gradually in size, differences among the larger and the smaller ones were apparent. So far, no cytogenetic differences have been detected among the 3 populations. Chromosomes with metacentric, submetacentric, and telocentric morpbology were de­tected in mitotic prometaphase cells, suggesting that chromosomes of Artemia may be monocentric.