Different cytotypes in fishes of the genus Hypostomus Lcépède, 1803, (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from Xingu river (Amazon region, Brazil)

Abstract

We analyzed the karyotypes of three specimens of fishes of the genus Hypostomus Lacepede, 1803 (Loricaridae) from Xingu River (Amazon region). We used conventional staining techniques, including C-banding, Ag-NOR staining, CMA3- and DAPI-banding. Each specimen had a different cytotype: Hypostomus sp. Xingu-1 had 2n=64 (32M/SM, 32ST/A); Hypostomus sp. Xingu-2 has 2n=66 (32M/SM, 34ST/A), and Hypostomus sp. Xingu-3 had 2n=65 (38M/SM, 26ST/A + 1 B). The three cytotypes showed similar C-, CMA3- and DAPI-banding patterns. The nucleolus organizing regions were located in the short arm of chromosome pair 25 of Hypostomus sp. Xingu-1 and pair 29 of Hypostomus sp. Xingu-2, and in the long arm of pair 30 of Hypostomus sp. Xingu-3, probably because of a pericentric inversion. A fusion/fission rearrangement explains the difference in the diploid number and number of M/SM and ST/A chromosomes between the 2n= 64 and 2n=66 cytotypes. The B chromosome most probably explains the difference between the 2n=64 and 2n=65 cytotypes. The cytotype with 2n=65 had a significantly larger number of M/SM chromosomes, probably because of pericentric inversions. These three cytotypes may represent different species.