CHROMOSOME ANALYSIS OF SCHISTOSOMA RODHAINI (TREMATODA: SCHISTOSOMATIDAE)

Abstract

The chromosome number of Schistosoma rodhaini Brumpt is 2n = 16, with apparent sexual dimorphism quantifiable in chromosome pair no. 2. A method for dissociating host tissue coupled with hypotonic treatment yields permanent mitotic chromosome spreads with very defined centromere regions. The karyotype of S. rodhaini is very similar to that of its sibling species, S. mansoni Sambon, except there is a pericentric inversion in the S. rodhaini nucleolar organizer chromosome pair, S. rodhaini does not have any satellited chromosomes, and S. rodhaini has slightly shorter short arms of the group I chromosomes than S. mansoni. This distinction of chromosomes of similar species of schistosomes will be important for field identification of parasites and in elucidating the evolution of the schistosomes.