A comparison of the karyotypes of six species of Charadriiformes

• Published in: Genome
• Main Authors: Bartlett, Sylvia E., Threlfall, William
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1987
• Subjects: Genetics; Molecular Biology; General Medicine; Biotechnology; Alca torda; rissa tridactyla; Uria aalge; uria
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/g87-038; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/g87-038

The embryonic tissue of three larid species (Larus argentatus, Larus marinus, Rissa tridactyla) and three species of alcids (Uria aalge, Alca torda, Fraterula arctica) were grown in vitro as primary explants to obtain mitotic chromosomes. Chromosomes that were harvested were stained with the fluorescent dye Atebrin. Partial karyotypes and idiograms of the largest 13 autosomes were made for each species. Based on the p arm to q arm ratios the centromere position for each chromosome was determined. Comparisons were then made between larid and alcid species as well as between groups (larid-alcid) and significant differences were noted. Key words: karyotypes, gulls, auks, Charadriiformes.