Chromosomal Studies of Four Egyptian Lizards of the Families Agamidae and Scincidae

Abstract

Chromosomal analysis of the four Egyptian species, Agama savignii, Agama stellio, Utomastix aegyptius (Family Agamidae) and Eumeces schneideri (Family Scincidae) have been studied. The diploid chromosome number and fundamental number (FN) of A. savignii is 2n = 46 and FN = 46. The karyotype of this species have 12 pairs of uniarmed macrochromosomes and 11 pairs of microchromosomes. The diploid chromosome number and FN of A. stellio and U. aegyptius are 2n = 36, FN = 48 and 2n = 34, FN = 46, respectively. The karyotype of each species is composed of 6 pairs of biarmed macrochromosomes and either 12 pairs of microchromosomes as in A. stellio or 11 pairs of U. aegyptius. The diploid chromosome number and FN of E. schneideri is 2n = 32 and FN = 46. The karyotype consists of 10 pairs of biarmed macrochromosomes, 2 pairs of acrocentric macrochromosomes and 4 pairs of microchromosomes. No clear differences were observed in the sex chromosomes of both sexes. Comparison of the karyotypic data of these species had been discussed.