Chromosomal studies of five tropical scorpaeniform fishes (Teleostei, Scorpaenidae)

Abstract The karyotypes of five species of Scorpaenidae (genera Scorpenopsis, Dendrochirus and Pterois) from the Indian Ocean were analysed using various banding methods and in situ hybridisation with a ribosomal probe. All the species investigated are characterised by a diploid set of 48 chromosomes (mainly acrocentric and/or subtelocentric) and by a NOR location on the small arm of a medium‐sized pair. All the chromosomes stained uniformly with DAPI, whereas C‐banding evidenced a small amount of hete‐rochromatin. Despite the marked morphological differences among these species, the low degree of diversification of the chromosome sets with respect to the ancestral set of teleosts (2n = 48 …