Artigo
Chromosome study of Anteaters (Myrmecophagideae, Xenarthra): a preliminary report
Date
2004-01-01Registration in:
Genetics and Molecular Biology. Sociedade Brasileira de Genética, v. 27, n. 3, p. 391-394, 2004.
1415-4757
10.1590/S1415-47572004000300014
S1415-47572004000300014
S1415-47572004000300014.pdf
Author
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
Fundação Zoobotânica de Belo Horizonte Departamento de Biologia Geral Laboratório de Citogenética
Abstract
Anteaters belong to the Order Xenarthra / Family Myrmecophagidae and are the only members without teeth. There are three genera with four living species in the family Myrmecophagidae: Myrmecophaga tridactyla (giant anteater), Tamandua tetradactyla (southern lesser anteater), Tamandua mexicana (northern lesser anteater), and Cyclopes didactylus (silky anteater). The karyotypes of M. tridactyla (2n = 60), T. tetradactyla (2n = 54) and C. didactylus (2n = 64) have already been described. In the present paper, three female and two male specimens of giant anteater and one lesser anteater male were analyzed. The results indicate the existence of a new karyotype in the genus Tamandua, with 2n = 56 chromosomes, which can represent a new lesser anteater species. The karyotype of M. tridactyla was also described, supporting previous reports.