A comparative analysis of the karyotypes of three dolphins – Tursiops truncatus Montagu, 1821, Tursiops australis Charlton-Robb et al., 2011, and Grampus griseus Cuvier, 1812

By

Brookwell, Ross
Finlayson, Kimberly
Van De Merwe, Jason

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

Comparative cytogenetics : international journal of plant & animal cytogenetics, karyosystematics and molecular systematics

Volume

15

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

53--63

Subjects

Burrunan , chromosome , Common Bottlenose , G-band , Risso’s dolphin

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

St. Petersburg, Russia [Published] with technical support of Zoological Institute RAS [2007]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/compcytogen.v15.i1.60398

 

Abstract

The aim of this study is to produce G-banded karyotypes of three dolphin species, Tursiops truncatus Montagu, 1821, Tursiops australisCharlton-Robb et al., 2011, and Grampus griseus Cuvier, 1812, and to determine if any differences between the species can be observed. Monolayer skin cultures were established and processed for chromosome study by trypsin banding. The results indicate that the three species here investigated have the same diploid number (2n = 44) and very similar gross chromosome morphology, however G-banding allows distinction between each species. Chromosome 1 in G. griseus is significantly different from the other 2 species, and chromosome 2 in T. australis is subtly different from the other 2 species. This result is of potential significance in taxonomic studies, and can provide an unequivocal answer in the assessment of suspected hybrids between these species.