First detailed reconstruction of the karyotype of Trachypithecus cristatus (Mammalia: Cercopithecidae)

BACKGROUND: The chromosomal homologies of human (Homo sapiens = HSA) and silvered leaf monkey (Trachypithecus cristatus = TCR) have been previously studied by classical chromosome staining and by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) applying chromosome-specific DNA probes of all human chromosomes in the 1980s and 1990s, respectively. RESULTS: However, as the resolution of these techniques is limited we used multicolor banding (MCB) at an ~250-band level, and other selected human DNA probes to establish a detailed chromosomal map of TCR. Therefore it was possible to precisely determine evolutionary conserved breakpoints, orientation of segments and distribution of specific regions in TCR compared to HSA. Overall, 69 evolutionary conserved breakpoints including chromosomal segments, which failed to be resolved in previous reports, were exactly identified and characterized. CONCLUSIONS: This work also represents the first molecular cytogenetic one characterizing a multiple sex chromosome system with a male karyotype 44,XY(1)Y(2). The obtained results are compared to other available data for old world monkeys and drawbacks in hominoid evolution are discussed

Hematological and serum biochemical values of white ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)

Hematological and biochemical values are important for diagnosis of clinical signs, showing how disease processes change. This is the first report to demonstrate hematological and serum biochemical values of white ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) in Thailand, which are rare species in tropical countries. The study was carried out in ten healthy white ibises (male, n=5; female, n=5), at the age of 4 years from Khow Khoew Open Zoo, Chon Buri province, Thailand. The results revealed the following information: total red blood cell, hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, total white blood cell, percentage of lymphocyte,percentage of heterophil, percentage of monocyte, percentage of eosinophil, percentage of basophil and thrombocyte of white ibis were 2.78±0.70 × 106 cells/µl, 18.75±1.32 g/dl, 46.00±3.59%, 173.51±38.52 fl, 70.73 ±15.42 g/dl, 40.82±1.65 pg, 1.49± 0.66 × 104 cells/µl, 89.70±6.40%, 8.50±6.34%, 0.50±0.97%, 0.90±1.29%, .30±0.95% and 16.2±0.49 × 103 cells/µl, respectively. Serum biochemistry values i.e. serum glucose, serum creatinine, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase of white ibis were 12.55±1.90 mmol/dl, 69.95±13.05 mmol/l, 204.82±56.76 IU/L and 30.43±8.66 IU/L, respectively. Hematological and biochemical values between males and females white ibis were not significantly different (P>0.05)

A study on karyotype of the pileated gibbon, Hylobates pileatus (Primates, Hylobatidae), by conventional staining

Cytogenetics of the pileated gibbon (Hylobates pileatus) at Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, Thailand, was studied. Bloodsamples were taken from two female and two male gibbons. After lymphocyte culture, the mitotic chromosome preparationwas done by hypotonic-fixation-air-drying method and conventional Giemsas staining. The results show that diploid chromosomenumber was 44 (2n=2x=44), and the fundamental number (NF) were 88 chromosomes in both female and male.The autosomes consist of 12 large metacentric, 6 medium metacentric, 2 medium submetacentric, 2 medium acrocentric, 12small metacentric and 8 small submetacentric chromosomes. In addition, the chromosome 15 showed clearly observablesatellite chromosomes. The X chromosome was a medium submetacentric chromosome and the Y chromosome was a tinyacrocentric chromosome. The karyotype formula for the pileated gibbon is as follows:2n (44) = Lm12+Mm6+Msm2+Ma2+Sm12+Ssm8+sex-chromosome

The first chromosome characterization of the family Tragulidae (Artiodactyla) in Thailand by conventional staining

Karyotypes were studied from the family Tragulidae of Thailand, representing a single genus with two species namely; lesser Malay mouse-deer (Tragulus javanicus) and larger Malay mouse-deer (Tragulus napu). Blood samples were taken from the two species kept in Khoa Kheow Open Zoo, Chonburi province and Songkhla Zoo, Songkhla province,Thailand. After standard whole blood lymphocyte culture in presence of colchicine, the metaphase spreads were performed on microscopic slides and air-dried. Conventional Giemsa’s staining was applied to visualize chromosomes. The karyotype of lesser Malay mouse deer showed that diploid chromosome number was 2n=32 and fundamental numbers (NF) were 64 in both female and male. The autosomes consist of 6 large metacentric, 6 large submetacentric, 14 medium metacentric,2 submetacentric and 2 small metacentric chromosomes. The X chromosome was a large submetacentric chromosome while the Y chromosome was a small metacentric chromosome. For our result, the first karyotypic study of T. napu, the larger Malay mouse-deer, the karyotype shows that diploid chromosome number was 2n=32, and NF were 64 in both female and male. The autosomes consist of 6 large metacentric, 6 large submetacentric, 12 medium metacentric, 2 medium submetacentric, 2 medium acrocentric and 2 small submetacentric chromosomes. The X chromosome was a large submetacentricchromosome while the Y chromosome was the smallest metacentric chromosome