Comparative Cytogenetic Studies on Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus Populations (Pisces, Erythrindae).

Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus fish from 5 different locations in South America were cytogenetically studied. Five populations from Corrientes (Argentina), Miranda (Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil), Porto Velho (Rondonia State, Brazil), Parque Estadual do Rio Doce (Minas Gerais State, Brazil) and from the Paramaribo region (Surinam) were analyzed. The specimens from Corrientes, Miranda and Porto Velho presented a diploid number equal to 48, all M-SM chromosomes, with a fundamental number (NF) equal to 96. The specimen from Surinam had 2n=48 (46 M-SM + 2 A) and NF =94. The specimens from Parque Estadual do Rio Doce had 2n =52 (46 M-SM+6 A) and NF=98. These structural and numerical chromosome variations among H. unitaeniatus populations suggest that Hoplerythrinus may not be a monotypic genus as presently thought.