CONSERVATION OF ARABIAN GAZELLES - Nwrc.gov.sa

dorcas gazelles Gazella do rcas ssp. sampled in AI Wabra all have karyotypes identical to the African
representatives of dorcas gazelle (compare Figures 12.2 and 12.3).
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Figure 12.4 Saudi gazelle Gazella saudiya. female D4 (2n=47). KKWRC. Reprinted from Rebholz " oZ.
(1991).
The submetacentric X-chromosomes of the Saudi gazelle (Figures 12.4 and 12.5) are double
the size of the largest autosomes. probably caused by an X-autosome translocation. which is very
common in gazelle. Autosome numbers of the seven Saudi gazelles studied vary between 45 and 50.
which represents considerable variation within a species (Table 12.1). However. recently we
discovered a female Saudi gazelle from AI Areen Wildlife Park with 51 autosomes (Kumamoto and
Rebholz. unpublished data). which brings the range of autosomes between 45 and 51. Not only do
autosome numbers vary between Saudi gazelles. their karyotypes also differ. Variation of
metacentric chromosomes is very conspicuous. Their numbers vary between 10 and 13 and some
seem to be single (see Figures 12.4 and 12.5). The other autosomal chromosomes are subtelocentric
and their numbers vary from 32 to 39 (see Table 12.1). Some paired chromosomes do not seem to be
homologous pairs (arrow in Figure 12.4). but this is difficult to prove in these unbanded karyotypes.
Data from banded chromosome descriptions are not available yet. so it is not known which
chromosomes are involved in translocations. More individuals of Saudi gazelle need sampling to
study the extent of the variation in this species.
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