A Cytotaxonomic Survey of the Genus Melanophryniscus Gallardo, 1961 (Anura: Bufonidae)

We present a cytogenetic survey of the basal bufonid genus Melanophryniscus that covered 14 of the 25 species currently recognized, representing the three phenetic species groups: M. moreirae, M. stelzneri, and M. tumifrons. All species presented a diploid chromosome complement constituted by 11 bi-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of herpetology 2012-03, Vol.46 (1), p.25-32
Main Authors:	Baldo, Diego, Cotichelli, Leonardo, Pereyra, Martín O, Borteiro, Claudio, Netto, Flavia, Kolenc, Francisco, Brusquetti, Francisco, Bidau, Claudio
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Amphibians Anura Biological taxonomies Chromosome morphology Chromosomes Cytogenetics FOCUS ON HERPETOLOGY IN BRAZIL Herpetology Karyotype Nucleolus organizer region Phylogenetics Ploidies
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Summary:	We present a cytogenetic survey of the basal bufonid genus Melanophryniscus that covered 14 of the 25 species currently recognized, representing the three phenetic species groups: M. moreirae, M. stelzneri, and M. tumifrons. All species presented a diploid chromosome complement constituted by 11 bi-armed chromosome pairs (2n = 2x = 22; FN = 44). Some remarkable differences were observed between species groups: chromosome pair 4 was metacentric in species of the M. tumifrons group (also with a distinctive C-positive block) but submetacentric in the M. stelzneri group and M. sanmartini (M. moreirae group); pair 5 was submetacentric in M. sanmartini and metacentric in the rest. Chromosome secondary constrictions and silver-stained nucleolar organizer regions were located either in pair 5, 7, or 8 in the M. tumifrons group, M. sanmartini and M. krauczuki (M. stelzneri group), and M. stelzneri group, respectively; and pair 7 was relatively larger in M. sanmartini and M. krauczuki. Studied cytogenetic characters support the M. tumifrons group and suggest a close relationship between M. krauczuki and M. sanmartini. These results call for a reassessment of species relations within Melanophryniscus under an inclusive phylogenetic study.
ISSN:	0022-1511 1937-2418