The new highest number of B chromosomes (Bs) in Leisler’s bat Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817)

By

Rajičić, Marija
Budinski, Ivana
Miljević, Milan
Bajić, Branka
Paunović, Milan
Vujošević, Mladen
Blagojevic, Jelena

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

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

Volume

16

Series / Issue

Issue: 3

Pages

173--184

Subjects

B chromosomes , Chiroptera , Nyctalus leisleri

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.v16i3.89911

 

Abstract

B chromosomes (Bs) are supernumerary to the standard chromosome set, from which they prevalently derive. Variation in numbers both among individuals or populations and among cells within individuals is their constant feature. Leisler’s bat Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817) is one of only four species of Chiroptera with detected Bs. Four males of N. leisleri were collected from two localities on the territory of Serbia and cytogenetically analysed. All animals had Bs with interindividual variability ranging from two to five heterochromatic micro Bs. The highest number of Bs was detected in this species. Among mammals, Rodentia and Chiroptera are orders with the largest number of species, but Bs frequently appear in rodents and rarely in chiropterans. Possible explanations for this difference are offered.