Cariótipos de Pugilina morio, Littorina angulifera, Tivela mactroides e Anadara ovalis do Litoral da Costa Branca, RN.

Abstract

Bivalve and gastropod molluscs have great economic importance in coastal communities, both for food and for the manufacture of ornaments (zooartesanato). This situation is no different in the municipalities of Grossos and Tibau, RN. Among the species of molluscs used in these places, there are the bivalves Anadara ovalis and Tivela mactroides and Pugilina morio and gastropods Littorina angulifera. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the karyotypes of these species. Specimens were collected in the municipalities of Grossos and Tibau, RN and taken to the laboratory of Genetics and Evolution (UFERSA) for chromosome preparation. P. morio and A. ovalis used the technique microculture, whereas for L. angulifera and T. mactroides used the conventional technique. Slides were analyzed and the best metaphases were photographed under a light microscope with digital camera. The best metaphases were photographed and chromosomes were grouped according to the descending order of size and morphology. The chromosomes were cut out, grouped and classified according to the centromeric index to obtain the diploid number (2n) and fundamental number (NF). Karyotypes identified to the species P. morio, L. angulifera, T. mactroides and A. ovalis were 2n = 24 and NF = 24; 2n = 20 and NF = 20; 2n = 26 and NF = 26; and 2n = 16 and NF = 16, respectively. Information that the chromosome numbers for the species studied are novel and differ from other species of the same families are provided. Keywords: chromosomes, molluscs, beaches, northeast.