Studies on Reptilian Chromosomes II

Abstract

1. For the fixation of metaphase chromosomes in all cell generations CHAMPY's mitochondrial fixative, concentrated 1.5 time as strong as the original, is found to be the most adequate one.2. The basal chromosome number of the male of Eumeces latiscutatus is 26. The spermatogonial chromosomes can be sorted into two categories, macro- and micro-chromosomes. The macro-chromosomes are 12 V-shaped ones and the micro-chromosomes are 14 short rodand dot-like chromosomes.3. Through maturation divisions every resultant spermatid contains a haploid set of chromosomes which consists of 6 V-sphaped and 7 dot-like ones.4. The 12 V-shaped macro-chromosomes of this lizard probably correspond to macro-chromosomes of other members of the family Scincidae, e. g. Seincus officinalis and Chalcides tridactylus, but as to the relation between the 14 micro-chromosomes of the former and the 12 micro-chromosomes of the latter, nothing can be said definitely.5. The sex-chromosomes of this lizard are two short rod-like ones. Between the members of the sex-chromosomes there is no differente by which one can distinguish the one as X and the other as Y. Consequently, this lizard has sex-chromosomes of an isomorphic type.6. If we substitute X for the sex-chromosome the chromosome complex of the male may be formulated as 24+X+X=26.