A Cytogenetic Study on Spermophilus Xanthoprymnus (Bennett, 1835) in Isparta Province

Article history Received: 7 February 2021 Accepted: 16 April 2021 Published Online: 18 May 2021 This study was conducted to explain the karyological characteristics of S. xanthoprymnus from Gencali in Turkey. The chromosomes of the specimens were traditionally stained and examined according to standard procedures. The chromosomes were determined according to centromere positions by examining the photographs of metaphase cells. The karyotype of S. xanthoprymnus contained 42 chromosomes (2n=42) and fundamental number of chromosomal arms NF=81 and the number of autosomal arms NFa=78. The karyotype includes four metacentric chromosomes ranging from large to small, three pairs of large and medium-sized submetacentric autosome, twelve ranging from large to medium size subtelocentric, and a pair of acrocentric autosomes. The X chromosome was determined as large subtelocentric and Y chromosome as small acrocentric. Due to there is no karyological information and geographical distribution of existentence cytotypes in Turkey, revelation of chromosomal structure in Anatolian ground squirrel populations will provide properly assessment of taxonomy of those rodents in further studies.