December 1993

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 5, pp. 109-111

A Karyosystematic Study of the Plate Tailed Geckos of theGenus Teratoscincus (Sauria, Gekkonidae)
VALENTINA v. manilo
The Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology. Academy of Science of the Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine

Abstract. -Karyotypes of two subspecies of Teratoscincus scincus are described (T. s. scincus and T. s.
rustamowi ). Both have 2n=36, and 46 arms in the karyotype (N. F. =46). A minor difference incentromere position in two of the smaller chromosome pairs was noted, and may characterize the respective
subspecies sampled, or may reflect intra-population variation or even error in preparation. The karyotypes
differ from an earlier published description for T. scincus, in which de Smet (1981) reported 2n=34, N. F.
=42. Whether this represents intraspecific variation, error in preparation or interpretation, or a suggestionthat the name T. scincus is being applied to more than a single species will only be resolved with further
systematic study of this gekkonid lizard.

Key words:

Reptilia, Sauria, Gekkonidae, Teratoscincus scincus, Kazakhstan, Tadjikistan, karyology.

TABLE 1.

Karyotypic data for Teratoscincus scincus. Legends:

M- macrochromosome, m-microchromosome, v- metacentric, sT- subtelocentric, a (A)- acrocentric, NF- basic number.
Species, subspecies
T.

scincusT. s.

scincusT. s.

rustamowi

Chromosomal formula2n4sT+4v+26A
24M(6sT+ 1 8 A)+ 1 2m(4v+8a)
24M(6sT+ 1 8 A+ 1 2m(4v+8a)34

NFAuthorAsiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 5 p. 110

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Teratoscincus scincus scincus. a- mitotic
metaphase of a dividing cell of bone marrow; bbivalents of diakinesis; c, d- karyotype of female

FIG. 1.

FIG. 2.

Teratoscincus scincus rustamowi.

a-mitotic metaphase of a dividing blood cell; b, cmale karyotype; d- idiogram of the karyotype.

and male, respectively; e- idiogram of theby Levan et al.

The chromosomal formula2n=24 M (6 sT+18A) +12m (4v+8a) = 36. The "fundamentalnumber" (N. F.) is 46. Sex chromosomes
Male and female
are not evident.

Karyotype descriptions
Teratoscincus scincus scincus (Schlegel,karyotypes do not appear to differ inchromosome number or morphology. (Fig.

acrocentric.

karyotype.

could be stated:classification suggested(1964).

1858).

1).

Type locality: The Hi River in
In male meiosis, the number of bivalents"Turkestan"at

The diploid chromosome consists of 36
The karyotype ischromosomes.
24
intodivisible
provisionallymacrochromosomes (M) and 12
microchromosomes (m), but there is nosharp demarcation between M and m.
Chromosomes decrease in size gradually

The bivalents whichmacrochromosomes have a

diakinesis is 18.
tocorrespondring-like shape; the smaller bivalents(microchromosomes) have a rod-like shape(Fig. lb).

from largest (pair 1) to smallest (pair 18).

Teratoscincus scincus rustamowi(Szczerbak, 1979)
Type locality: Fergan Valley in the sands in

Chromosome pairs 4, 7, and 9 appear

the vicinity of Cokand and Kairakkum.

subtelocentric; pairs 14 and 15 aremetacentric; and the remaining pairs are

As in T. s. scincus the diploid number isAsiatic Herpetological Research

December 1993

36 with a somewhat arbitrary division
between 24 macrochromosomes and 12
microchromosomes; no obvious sex
chromosome heteromorphism; andchromosome pairs 4, 7, and 9 are

One possible difference
noted between the subspecies, however, isthat pairs 13 and 15 (instead of 14 and 15)
appear to be metacentric. Meiotic material
was not studied (Fig. 2).
subtelocentric.

Vol. 5 p. Ill

Literature Cited

DE SMET, W. H. O.

Description of the1981.

orsein stained karyotypes of 136 lizard species(Lacertilia, Reptilia) belonging to the families
Teiidae, Scincidae, Lacertidae, Cordylidae andVaranidae (Austarchoglossa. Acta Zoologica etpathologica, Antverpiensia 76:407-420.

FORD, C. E. AND J. L. HAMERTON.
mammalian chromosomes.

Comparative analysis of karyotypes of thegenus

1956.

Acolchicine, hypotonic citrate squash sequence for

Stain Technology

31:247-251.

LEV AN, A., K. FREDGA, AND A. A. SANDBERG.

The karyotype of T. scincus was firstdescribed by de Smet (1981). He reported
2n=34 with the following formula:
4sT+4V+26A. The total number of arms
(Fundamental Number, or N. F.) was 42.
Subsequently Manilo and Pisanets (1984)

1964.

Nomenclature for centromeric position

on chromosomes. Hereditas 52:201-202.

MACGREGOR, H. C. AND J. M. VARLEY.
Working with animal chromosomes.
272 pp.
Publishing House, Moscow.

obtained a different result (2n=36). This
stimulated us to re-examine the group in a

Russian).

manner (Table 1). Our
conclusion is that two of the three

MANILO, V. V.

moredetailedsubspecies have very similar karyotypes(the karyotype of T. s. keyserlingii remains
The present studies withunknown).
relatively small sample sizes, do not permit
us to determine whether the difference we
describe between the two subspecies

the genera

1986.

Mir
(InKaryotypes of geckos of
Alsophylax and Crossobamon.
1986.

Vestnik Zoologii 5:46-54. (In Russian).

MANILO, V. V. AND YE. M. PISANETS.
of1984.

thegeckoplate-tailed
Karyotype(Teratoscincus scincus) from the Turkmenia
territory.

Vestnik Zoologii 5:83-84.

(InRussian).

represents individual variation or a realdifference.

SZCZERBAK, N. N.
plate-tailedBecause de Smet did not indicate thelocality for his specimens, we cannot
determine whether his description of 2n=34
and our description of 2n=36 represent a
differenceinnumber among

diploid
populations; variation within populations;or problems in preparation and description.
Clearly this group of geckos should bestudied more extensively.

rustamowi

1979.

A new subspecies ofgecko (Teratoscincus
ssp.

n.,

Sauria,scincus

Reptilia)

fromUzbekistan and systematics of the species.
Protection of Turkmenistan Nature 1979:129138.

SZCZERBAK, N. N. AND M. L. GOLUBEV.

1986.

Geckos of the USSR fauna and of adjacentcountries. Naukova dumka, Kiev. 231pp. (InRussian)