Description of the chromosomes of three lizard species belonging to the genus<i>Mabuya</i>(Scincidae, Reptilia)

Abstract

SUMMARYChromosomes from the bone marrow of Mabuya affinis, M. maculila-bris maculilabris (Grey) and M. quinquetaeniata sharica (Sternfield) were studied from several male and female animals. All the species have the same chromosome number of 2n = 32. The first five chromosomes in the three species account for almost 70% of the genome (by lenght), and appear characteristic to the skinks generally. It is suggested that chromosome variation in the Mabuya arose by centromeric fissions and fusions, including pericentric inversions.