The karyotype of Alouatta fusca clamitans from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Evidence for a y-autosome translocation

Abstract

The chromosome complements of four males of Alouatta fusca clamitans, caught in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, were analyzed by G-, C-, and NOR-banding techniques. The diploid number found was 49 in all the specimens. The presence of a heteromorphic pair of submetacentric chromosomes in the analyzed specimens, not present in males and females with 2n = 50 previously reported, and its G-banding pattern, led us to assume that this pair is involved in a Y-autosome translocation. Thus, the sex determination system appears modified to X1X1X2X2 /X1X2Y. Heterochromatic segments were found in the pericentromeric region of all the chromosomes, in the telomeric region of the short arm in pair 2, in the complete length of the short arm of pairs 5 and 6 and in the intercalary region of the long arm in pair 17. The nucleolar organizer regions were situated in the intercalary region of the long arm in two small acrocentric pairs.