6533b7d5fe1ef96bd126509d

RESEARCH PRODUCT

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

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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 acrocentric chromosomes) suggests that chromosome morphology has not undergone profound rearrangements during the evolution of these taxa.