POLYMORPHISM AND QUINACRINE FLUORESCENCE KARYOTYPES OF RED FOXES (Vulpes vulpes)

Abstract

Chromosome studies in 20 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes Linn.), sampled from Southern Ontario, have shown an intraspecific numerical variation of chromosomes. The modal numbers vary from 34 to 39 inclusive in the population studies. Half of the males and half of the females had a modal 2n number of 36. Most of the fox chromosomes showed very specific reproducible patterns by quinacrine fluorescence technique and the identification of all macrochromosomes in the complement became possible. However, exact identification of the Y chromosome still remains a problem.