Molecular Cytogenetics in Platyrrhini hybrids diagnosis: Conservation Programs application

NIEVES, MARIELA; ORTIZ, ALEJANDRA; MENDEZ, GABRIELA; MUHLMANN, MARÍA C.; MUDRY, MARTA D.

Entebbe, Uganda

Congreso; XXI IPS Congress of the International Primatological Society; 2006

International Primatological Society

Fragmentation of contiguous wild populations, through habitat destruction, results in small isolated populations were genetic diversity will decay over time. Species inhabiting tropical rainforest, for example, will go extinct through loss of habitat, regardless the genetic diversity they might have. Genetic data are critical in wild population conservation programs as well as in captive breeding programs. Since captive populations are usually very small, individuals tend to be related and the entire population may be genetically characterized. The principles used with small wild populations are the same, but more specific, when applied to populations in captivity. Genetic data can guide selection of parental stock, the structure of controlled breeding, and help monitoring overall genetic variation and loss in captivity. We performed a karyologic analysis of platyrrhinis from a Chilean Primate Center reproduction colony considered as Cebus apella. Cell cultures were conducted with peripheral blood samples following standard cytogenetic methods. FISH procedure was applied in spread mitotic metaphases using: an own developed specific probe for Cebus heterochromatic region, and a human Chromosome 21 probe due to the known homeology with euchromatic #11q of Cebus. We corroborated subspecies status and identified hybrid specimens. We propose this combined FISH protocol as an accurate diagnostic methodology. In this framework, if a conservation program would be conducted, the karyological information collected can provide guidance and direction.