Karyological Analysis of the Barramundi, Lates calcarifer (Perciformes, Latidae)

Karyological characteristics of the Barramundi, Lates calcarifer (Bloch 1790) from Andaman Sea, Thailand, were analyzed in the present study. Kidney cells of two male and two female fish were directly used in the mitotic chromosome preparation. The mitotic chromosome preparations were conducted directly from kidney cells. Chromosomes were stained by using conventional staining and Ag-NOR banding techniques. The results showed that the diploid chromosomes number of L. calcarifer was 2n=48 and the fundamental number (NF) were 54 in both sexes. The chromosome types comprise the 2 large metacentric, 2 large submetacentric, 2 large acrocentric, 24 large telocentric, and 18 medium telocentric chromosomes. No strange sized chromosomes related to sex were observed. The Ag-NOR banding technique indicated that the single pair of nucleolar organizer regions/NORs is located on the short arm telomeric region of large acrocentric chromosome pair 3. The karyotype formula could be deduced as: 2n (diploid) 48=L-2(m)+L-2(sm)+L-2(a)+L-24(t)+M-18(t)