Distribution of C-heterochromatin and Nucleolar Organizer Regions in the Karyotype of Marbled Polecat, Vormela peregusna (Carnivora: Mustelidae)

Banded chromosomes of a male marbled polecat, Vormela peregusna, from the Konya province in Turkey were studied. Conventional chromosome staining, Ag-NOR staining and C-banding were used to reveal the detailed morphology of the karyotype. The karyotype included eight metacentric, four submetacentric , five subtelocentric and one acrocentric autosomal pair (NFa = 70). The X chromosome was a mediumsized metacentric and the Y chromosome was a small submetacentric (NF = 74). C-heterochromatin regions were observed in large blocks forming the whole long arms of three metacentric and two submetacentric autosomal pairs, in telomeric regions of the short arms of two subtelocentric autosomal pairs, and in centromeric areas of six autosomes, including two metacentric, three subtelocentric and one acrocentric pair. The X chromosome appeared to be uniformly C-negatively stained and the short arm and centromeric area of the Y chromosome were entirely C-heterochromatic. The Ag-NOR regions were found within the large C-heterochromatic blocks on the long arms of two large metacentric and two large submetacentric autosomal pairs. Distinct differences in the karyotype morphology assessed according to the number of large C-heterochromatic blocks and nucleolar organizer regions were found between own findings and the previously published data.