Meiotic behavior of two polyploid species of genus <em>Pleurodema</em> (Anura: Leiuperidae) from central Argentina

Polyploidy is an important evolutionary force but rare in vertebrates. However, in anurans, the genus Pleurodema has polyploid species, two of them tetraploid and one octoploid. The manner in which the chromosomes join in diakinesis can vary among species and, crucially, if they differ in their plo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nancy Salas, Julián Valetti, Pablo Grenat, Manuel Otero, Adolfo Martino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Firenze University Press 2014-06-01
Series:Acta Herpetologica
Online Access:https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/ah/article/view/1711
Description
Summary:Polyploidy is an important evolutionary force but rare in vertebrates. However, in anurans, the genus Pleurodema has polyploid species, two of them tetraploid and one octoploid. The manner in which the chromosomes join in diakinesis can vary among species and, crucially, if they differ in their ploidy levels. In this work, we describe the meiotic configurations in two cryptic species from central Argentina, with different ploidy levels, Pleurodema kriegi (tetraploid) and P. cordobae (octoploid). A total of 306 diakineses from 19 individuals were analyzed. In meiosis, P. kriegi form 22 bivalents, whereas P. cordobae exhibits variation in meiotic figures. We discuss the possible allo- and autopolyploid origin of these species, and we consider that the autopolyploid origin of P. cordobae from P. kriegi might be the most feasible.
ISSN:1827-9635
1827-9643