Comparative cytogenetics of four endemic Capoeta (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) species from Anatolia, Türkiye

The genus Capoeta is an important taxon covering a wide distribution in Türkiye. However, only a few genetic studies on Capoeta species reported from Türkiye. There is no cytogenetical study in Capoeta aydinensis Turan, Küçük, Kaya, Güçlü & Bektaş, 2017, Capoeta bergamae Karaman, 1969, Capoeta erhani Turan, Kottelat & Ekmekçi, 2008 and Capoeta pestai (Pietschmann, 1933). Thus, in this study, we karyotyped through classical cytogenetic techniques (Giemsa staining, Ag-NORs, and C-banding) the four endemic Capoeta species. The diploid chromosome number invariably was 150 in the four species. However, chromosome morphologies in the karyotypes had some differences between them. The number of biarmed chromosomes in the karyotypes was higher in all studied species. Their karyotypes contained respectively: 54 metacentric, 42 submetacentric and 54 subtelo-acrocentric in C. aydinensis, 56 metacentric, 30 submetacentric and 64 subtelo-acrocentric in C. bergamae, 50 metacentric, 42 submetacentric and 58 subtelo-acrocentric in C. erhani and 44 metacentric, 40 submetacentric and 66 subtelo-acrocentric chromosomes in C. pestai. C-bands were on the pericentromeres of most chromosomes in the four species. Three chromosome pairs carry rDNA genes in all studied species. The chromosomal locations of these sites were varied between the species. This study provides new insights into the chromosomal data of the hexaploid cyprinids. Moreover, obtained cytogenetic results should be conclude the cytotaxonomy of the genus Capoeta that distributed in Türkiye.