Chromosome number and karyotype of the endangered Amazonian woody Centrolobium paraense Tul. species

Abstract

Centrolobium paraense Tul., popularly known in Brazil as “pau-rainha”, is a species with a high timberpotential, presently endangered due to deforestation of the Amazonian region and indiscriminate wood extraction. Chromosomenumber and karyotype morphology of this species are presented for the first time. All the individuals of the three populationsanalyzed are diploid, with 2n=2x=20 chromosomes. The chromosomes ranging from ca. 1.7 to 4 μm in size. The karyotypeis composed of three metacentric, three submetacentric (one with a satellite on the short arm), three acrocentric and onesubacrocentric chromosome pairs. Other Centrolobium species and populations should be analyzed in order to assess theextent of intraspecific and interspecific variation in chromosome number and morphology, if any.

Keywords

• Centrolobium
• “pau-rainha”
• chromosome number
• karyotype
• Amazonian.