Banded karyotype of a wild-caught male Korean raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis

Abstract

Chromosomes of a wild-caught male Korean raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis) were analyzed by conventional stain, G-banding and C-banding techniques. The basic karyotype of this subspecies is composed of metacentric (M) and acrocentric (A) chromosomes plus a variable number of B chromosomes (2n = 54 (= 10M + 42A + XY or XX) + Bs) and is the same as that of the Chinese and Finnish raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides). Karyotypes of the four subspecies of Nyctereutes procyonoides investigated to date conform to one of two types, the continental and the island. All animals from mainland Asia and eastern Europe that have been examined have the continental karyotype (2n = 54 (= 10M + 42A + XY or XX) + Bs), whereas all those from the four major Japanese islands that have been examined have the island type (2n = 38 (= 26M + 10A + XY or XX) + Bs). The two karyotypes have the same fundamental number (chromosomal arm number) of 66, and complete arm homology. However, the phylogenetic and taxonomic significance of the two distinct karyotypes within this monospecific genus is still unclear.Key words: raccoon dog, Nyctereutes, chromosomes, phylogeny, taxonomy.