Chromosomes of Damaliscus (Artiodactyla, Bovidae): simple and complex centric fusion rearrangements.

G- and C-banded karyotypes of Damaliscus hunteri, D. lunatus and D. pygargus were compared using the standard karyotype of Bos taurus. Chromosomal complements were 2n = 36 in D. lunatus jimela, 2n = 38 in D. pygargus phillipsi and D. p. pygargus, and 2n = 44 in D. hunteri. The fundamental number in all karyotypes was 60. Among the three species of Damaliscus, seven autosomal pairs and the X chromosomes were conserved. Y-chromosome differences were attributed to heterochromatic additions or deletions. Banded karyotypes of the two subspecies of D. pygargus exhibited complete homology. Chromosomal complements of D. pygargus and D. lunatus differed by a simple centric fusion. However, karyotypes of D. pygargus and D. lunatus differed from D. hunteri by numerous centric fusions, several of which were related by monobrachial chain complexes. Between the karyotypes of D. hunteri and D. pygargus or D. lunatus, there were two chain complexes, one involving five chromosomes (chain V) and the other involving 12 in pygargus (chain XII) or 13 in lunatus (chain XIII). There were also two simple centric fusions between D. hunteri and D. lunatus/D. pygargus; acrocentric chromosomes 13, 15, 20 and 22 in D hunteri were fused as 13;15 and 20;22 in D. lunatus and D. pygargus.