Cytogenetic analysis of the Pampas deer, Ozotoceros bezoarticus (mammalia, cervidae)

Abstract

The chromosome constitution of five males and three females of the Pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) coming mainly from the region of Corumba-MS, was studied. The diploid number of the species was reconfirmed as 68 chromosomes with Fundamental Number (FN) = 74. The X chromosome was the largest and the Y the smallest in the genome. Constitutive heterochromatin demonstrated by C banding was present in the centromeric region of all chromosomes, except in pair number two, which had none, and in chromosome X which had a stained region in the telomere on the long arm. Chromosomes pairs 3 and 4 bore Ag-NORs. The banding patterns differed from those of previous reports for this species. This may be due to subspecific differences.