Asiatic Herpetological ResearchFebruary 1992

Vol.4, pp. 141-145

Karyotypes of Two Rana from Xinjiang, China

Gang Wei ning xu Dejun Li and min wu 2,l111,Zunyi Medical College, Zunyi, Guizhou, China

2Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China

Abstract. -Karyotypes, C-bands, and Ag-NORs of Rana ridibunda (Hi River Valley, Xinjiang) and R.
The specimens oiR. ridibunda from central Europe

altaica (Altai Mountains, Xinjiang, China) are reported.

have a karyotype with chromosome nos. 8 and 1 1 being both metacentric. They have a telomeric C-bandon almost every chromosome arm and a few interstitial C-bands on some chromosomes. The specimensfrom the Hi River Valley have a karyotype with chromosome no. 8 being subtelocentric and no. 11
submetacentric, and no telomeric or interstitial C-bands. Chromosome polymorphism of the different
populations of the same species may explain this. We suggest that R. altaica and R. arvalis are in a middle
stage of chromosome evolution from a karyotype with 2n=26 to a karyotype with 2n=24 and chromosome
no. 6 being submetacentric.

Key words: Amphibia, Ranidae, Rana ridibunda, Rana altaica, China, Xinjiang, karyotype, C-band, Ag-NORs, polymorphism, evolution.

Results

Introduction

The karyotype, C-band and Ag-NORs ofFigure 1 depicts the karyotype, C-bands,

Rana ridibunda from central Europe wereinvestigated by Schmid (1978) and thekaryotype and Ag-NORs of the same
species from Korgas, Bole and Urumqi in
Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China wereand Ag-NORs of R. ridibunda. For themeasurements of the karyotypes, see table

investigated by Wu (1990). In the presentstudy, the karyotype, C-bands and AgNORs of R. ridibunda were reexamined
and those of R. altaica are examined for thefirst time.

1.

The diploid number of R. ridibunda is
2n=26, which can be divided into two
The large chromosome group
groups.
includeschromosome nos.

metacentric and no. 3

Methods
The frogs used in this study are: R.
ridibunda Pallas, a male and a female fromthe Hi River region in Xinjiang, China andR. altaica Kastschenko, two males and two
females from the Altai Mountains (= AltayShan) region in Xinjiang. Both ends of thefemur, tibio-fibula, and humerus bones
were cut off, and the marrow cells were
KC1 forwashed out with 0.46
chromosome preparation by a centrifugal
air-drying method. Testing of C-bands andAg-NORs were carried out following themethods of Wei et al. (1990) and Xu et al.

M(1990).

© 1992 by Asiatic Herpetological Research

1-5,with arelative length (R. L.) larger than 9%.
Chromosome nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5 areissubmetacentric.

The small chromosome group consists ofchromosome nos. 6-13, with R. L. lessNumbers 6, 7 and 11 arethan 7%.
metacentric, nos. 9, 10, 12 and 13 aresubmetacentric and no. 8 is subtelocentric.

The only secondary constrictions can bereadily observed on the long arms of no.
10.

With regard to C-bands, there is acentromeric C-band on each chromosomeof R. ridibunda, but some of them are
weakly stained and no interstitial or
telomeric C-band can be observed. There
are a pair of standard Ag-NORs on the longarms of no. 10, in the same position as theAsiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 4, p. 142.>-.<.
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FIG. 1.

*4

The karyotype, C-band and Ag-NORs of Rana ridibunda.

secondary constrictions.
Figure 2 depicts the karyotype, C-bands,

All of them are metacentric. The
prominent secondary constrictions can bereadily observed on the long arms of no. 1,nos. 1-5.

and Ag-NORs of R. altaica. The diploid
number of R. altaica is 2n=24, which are

where the standard NORs are located. The
middle sized chromosome group onlycompose of three groups. The large
chromosome group includes chromosome

includes chromosome no. 6, with the R. L.
between 7-9%. It is also metacentric. TheFebruary 1992

TABLE. 1.

Asiatic Herpetological Research

Chromosome measurements of R. ridlbunda and R. altaica.

Vol. 4, p. 143

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 4, p. 144•tV -Vt
1

February 1992

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,*Asiatic Herpetological Research

February 1992

temporaria and the three other species, R.
chensinensis, R. dyhowskii and Rornativentris, it is suggested that the twosmall chromosomes of the ancestor of/?.
temporaria merged into one middle sized,
metacentric chromosome which ischromosome no. 6 of R. arvalis and R.
This metacentric chromosome
altaica.

SCHMID, M.

into a submetacentricchromosome by inversion between arms
and formed chromosome no. 6 of R
chensinensis, R. ornativentris and R

WEI, G., AND.

Vol. 4, p. 145

Allen Press and The Association of
Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas.
the world.

832 pp.
1978. Chromosome banding inAmphibia. II. Constitutive heterochromatin
and nucleolus organizer regions in Ranidae,Microhylidae and Rhacophoridae. Chromosoma

68:131-148.

transformed.

.

dybowskii.

81.

The authors would like to express their
thanks to Prof. Ermi Zhao for encouraging
this research and allowing us to examine
Institute of Biology.

financiallyChengdu

This research wassupported by the Guizhou

Scientific Committee.

Literature Cited
FROST, D. R. (ed.)

1985.

CHEN.

1990.

Amphibian species of[On the(In Chinese).

WEI G., F. CHEN, AND N. XU.

Acknowledgments

the amphibian collection at theF.

phylogenetic relationship and speciation of Ranachensinensis]. Acta Zoologica Sinica 36(1):76-1990.

[Aninvesugation for the karyotypic, C-banding andAg-NORs pattern on Rana chensinensis fromtype locality]. Hereditas (Beijing) 12(l):24-26.
(In Chinese).

WU, M. 1990. Study on the karyotype and AgNORs on Rana ridibunda Pallas. Hereditas(Beijing) 12(5):15-16. (In Chinese).

XU, N., G. WEI, AND

D.

LI.

1990.

An

investigation of the karyotype, C-band and AgNORs pattern on Rana schmakeri. Hereditas(Beijing) 12(3):22-24. (In Chinese).