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Karyotype and sex determination in Dinophilus gyrociliatus (Polychaeta: Dinophilidae)

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Abstract

The study of the male and female karyotypes of the polychaete Dinophilus gyrociliatus was performed with the aim of ascertaining the diploid number of chromosomes and confirming the existence of karyological differences between the two sexes. Our results evidenced that the female karyotype of D. gyrociliatus consists of 2n=24 chromosomes, while the male karyotype has 2n=23 chromosomes. X chromosomes are subtelocentric and much bigger than the autosomes. The size of the D. gyrociliatus chromosomes, which in the female embryos vary in length from little more than 2.8 μm to less than 0.7 μm, are relatively small by comparison with those of other polychaetes. The existence of maternal and environmental factors able to influence the sex ratio of D. gyrociliatus and chromosomal differences between the sexes confirms that: (1) sex determination is chromosomal and syngamic of the XX–X0 type and (2) control of the sex ratio is progamic and depends on genetic and environmental factors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank G. Sella (Turin) and M. Mandrioli, T. Altiero, L. Rebecchi (Modena) for criticism and suggestions that greatly improved the manuscript. This work was supported by the Italian Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (MIUR).

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  1. Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, Via Campi 213d, 41100 , Modena, Italy

    R. Simonini, F. Molinari, A. M. Pagliai, I. Ansaloni & D. Prevedelli

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  1. R. Simonini
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  2. F. Molinari
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  3. A. M. Pagliai
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  4. I. Ansaloni
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  5. D. Prevedelli
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Correspondence to R. Simonini.

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Communicated by R. Cattaneo-Vietti, Genova

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Simonini, R., Molinari, F., Pagliai, A.M. et al. Karyotype and sex determination in Dinophilus gyrociliatus (Polychaeta: Dinophilidae). Marine Biology 142, 441–445 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-002-0979-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-002-0979-2

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