Karyotypes of Chinese Species of the Genus Teratoscincus (Gekkonidae)

Abstract

Karyotypes and silver-stained NORs of five populations belonging to two Teratoscincus species were investigated. All had 2n=36, with 24M(8ST+16A)+12m(4v+8a) in the Korgas population of T. scincus, 24M(2ST+22A)+12m(4v+8a) in the Turpan population of T. przewalskii, and with 24M(2ST+22A)+12m(4v+8a) in the Dunhuang, Yecheng-Yengisa, and Kuqa populations of T. przewalskii. The silver-stained NORs of Korgas were on No. 3, whereas those of Kuqa and Yecheng-Yengisa were on No. 1. All karyotypes could be divided into three groups: (1) that of the Korgas population, with more than one subtelocentric pair of macrochromosomes; (2) those of the Dunhuang, Yecheng-Yengisa, and Kuqa populations, with only the largest pair subtelocentric; (3) that of the Turpan population, with pair 5 being the only subtelocentric pair of macrochromosomes. These three karyological groups seem to represent three distinct species.