Comparative cytogenetics of moles (Eulipotyphla, Talpidae): chromosomal differences in Talpa romana and T. europaea.

The genus Talpa is the most specious and widespread one in the family Talpidae. The existing karyological records are predominantly basic morphological descriptions. To further investigate the case in point, we performed a comparative cytogenetic study in the genus by comparing G- and C-chromosome banding and NOR patterns of the two European species, T. romana and T. europaea, along with available data regarding several other mole species. Chromosomal hybridization patterns for telomeric repeats and major and 5S ribosomal RNA genes were obtained in T. romana and T. europaea for the first time. The comparison of these patterns revealed differences in distribution of interstitial telomeric repeats and 5S ribosomal RNA genes in the two species with apparently identical karyotypes but different evolutionary histories. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.