A Karyotype Study in Chiroptera (Bats)

ABSTRACT

The bat (Chiroptera) is the only mammal that is able to fly as birds do and forms a peculiar taxonomic group in that the diploid number of chromosomes seldom are of the same number in the same genus and the different species in contrast to the other eutherian mammals. At the present time, many karyological problems remain unsolved in Korean bats. It is easy enough to imagine that many interesting things have happened in the chromosomes of the Korean bats as well. The present study was designed in order to get karyotypic data on living species of Korean bats (Vespertilio superans THOMAS and Miniopterus schreibersii fuliginosus (HODGSON). The diploid number of chromosomes of the Vespertilio superans was 38. The autosomes consisted of 6 pairs of the large metacentric, a pair of the small submetacentric and 11 pairs of tile small acrocentric chromosomes. The X chromosome was medium sized and metacentric in type and the Y was a small acrocentric type. The fundamental number was 50. The diploid number of chrmosomes of the Miniopterus schreibersii fuliginosus was 46. The autosomes consisted of 8 pairs of the metacentric type including a pair of minute metacentric chromosomes. and 18 pairs of the small acrocentric type chromosomes. The X chromosome was medium-sized and submetacentric, and the Y was a small acrocentric chromosome. The fundamental number was 52.