Cytogenetic investigations in sciurus anomalus from Turkish thrace (Rodentia: Sciuridae)

In this study, cytogenetic characteristics of Caucasian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) from Thrace province of European Turkey were investigated. Conventional chromosome staining, Ag-NOR staining and Cbanding analysis were carried out in the karyotype of two female specimens studied. The karyotype included 40 biarmed chromosomes (FN=80). Most of chromosomes had distinct positive C-heterochromatic regions in the centromeric areas. The short arms of two submetacentric autosomes appeared to be entirely C-heterochromatic, and a small submetacentric autosome possessed a dark C-band in the terminal region of the long arm. The NORs were localized in the telomeric areas of the C-positive short arms of two pairs of submetacentric autosomes possessing secondary constrictions. The distribution of C-heterochromatin regions and the active NORs differentiates the individuals from Thrace from the previously studied Caucasian squirrels from Anatolia.