Karyological Analysis and Morphometrics of the Lesser Asiatic House Bat, Scotophilus kuhlii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae)

 Supanuam, P., Tanomtong, A., Khunsook, S., Pinthong, K. and Sanoamuang, L. 2012. Karyological

analysis and morphometries of the lesser Asiatic house bat, Scotophilus kuhlii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae). Cytologia 77(3): 401-411. (ISI Impact Factor 2012 = 0.43) [PDF]

Summary

         Karyological analysis and morphometrics of the lesser Asiatic house bat (Scotophilus kuhlii) from Thailand were studied. Blood samples were taken from 5 male and 5 female bats, lymphocytes were cultured at 37􀂛C for 72 h in presence of colchicine, and metaphase spreads were performed on microscopic slides and air-dried. Conventional staining and GTG-banding techniques were applied to stain the chromosomes. The results showed that the diploid chromosome number of S. kuhlii was 2n=36, and the fundamental number (NF) was 52 in both male and female. The types of autosomes were 6 large metacentric, 4 large submetacentric, 6 large telocentric, 2 medium submetacentric, 10 medium telocentric, 2 small metacentric, and 4 small telocentric chromosomes. The X chromosome was a large submetacentric chromosome and the Y chromosome was the smallest acrocentric chromosome. The GTG-banding technique, indicated that the number of bands and locations in S. kuhlii was 167, and that each chromosome pair could be clearly differentiated. In addition, a pair of long arms near the centromere of chromosome pair 17 showed clearly observable nucleolar organizer regions (NORs). In terms of morphological measurement, the following measurements were taken 6 external morphological characters as well as 13 cranial and dental characters. The karyotype formula of S. kuhlii was as follows:

          2n (36)=Lm6+ Lsm4 + Lt6 + Msm2 + Mt10 + Sm2+ St4 + XY

Key words: Lesser Asiatic house bat, Scotophilus kuhlii, Karyotype, Morphometrics, GTG-banding