Hystvix: (n.s.)6(1-2)(1994): 117- 126(1995) Proc. I1 Conf. on Dormice CHROMOSOME ANALYSIS OF THREE SPECIES OF MYOXIDAE

ABSTRACT- Karyotype analysis was carried out on three species of dormice: Myoxus glis, 4 populations from Northern and Southern Italy and from Turkey; Dryomys nitedula, 4 populations from Northern and Southern Italy, from Israel and from Turkey; Myomimus roachi, 1 specimen from Turkey. Myoxus glis shows 2n=62; comparison of our specimens from different localities shows complete correspondence between karyotypes, both for the autosomes and the heterochromosomes. Diyomys nitedula shows 2n=48. All populations we studied, show the same karyotypic pattern, except for the NOR-bearing chromosomes. Myomimus roachi, here studied for the first time, shows 2n=44. All the autosomes are biarmed of decreasing size. The X-chromosome is a medium size metacentric, while the Y-chromosome is the smallest one. All the three species we studied, show one pair of NOR-bearing chromosomes, Ag-NORs always correspond to the secondary constriction. Differences in the fundamental number and in heterochromosome morphology, have been observed by other authors, in different European populations. This variability is analysed and discussed