Cytotaxonomic studies in four species of genus Puntius (Hamilton, 1822) from central India

Abstract

The cytotaxonomic analyses of four species of genus Puntius, viz. P. chola, P. conchonius, P. sophore and P. ticto from central India was carried out for the first time. The metaphase chromosomes were prepared from kidney and gill tissues. The diploid chromosome number and karyotype formula (KF) were found to be 50 & 2m + 4sm + 2st + 42t in P. chola; 50 & 14m + 28sm + 8st in P. conchonius; 48 & 4m + 2st + 42t in P. sophore and 50 & 14m + 24sm + 8st + 4t in P. ticto. Based on KF, the fundamental arm number were determined as 56, 92, 52 and 88, respectively, for these species. The karyomorphological features indicated that P. conchonius and P. ticto are closely related and the same holds true for P. chola and P. sophore. The chromosomes of all the four species exhibited constitutive heterochromatic blocks at their centromeric position, as detected by Cbanding technique. Variations in number of NORs were observed with presence of single pair of NORs in P. chola and P. conchonius, whereas in P. sophore and P. ticto multiple NORs were observed. Thus, based on the karyological features it can be hypothesized that P. conchonius and P. ticto may be in advanced stage of karyo-evolution.