Bohlen, J., M. Völker, M. Rábová & P. Ráb 2008

Note on the banded karyotype of the enigmatic South Asian loach fish Vaillantella maassi (Cypriniformes)

Ichthyological Research 55:82-84.

Abstract

The karyotype of Vaillantella maassi, a loach with unusual long dorsal fin, was investigated using sequential CMA₃- and AgNO₃-stainings to test if this character evolved in parallel with Vaillantella’s morphological distinctness. The karyotype had 2n=50 with 13 pairs of metacentric-submetacentric and 12 pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes. Sequential CMA₃-banding and AgNO₃-staining evidenced NORs in the short arms of pair No. 2. Additional CMA₃-positive, Ag-negative signals were present in the short arms of pairs Nos. 14, 15. The karyotype paralleled those of most other cobitoid loaches studied as yet and is apparently not associated with the morphological distinctness of Vaillantella.