Banded chromosomes of the owl monkey, Aotus trivirgatus

Abstract

Chromosomes of the owl monkey, Aotus trivirgatus, with 2n = 54, 53, or 52, have been stained to show quinacrine (Q-) and Giemsa (G-) bands, and a karyotypic arrangement has been proposed based on lengths, centromeric index, and banding pattern. C-bands were present at the centromeric region of every chromosome and over the entire short arm of certain acrocentric chromosomes; 5-methylcytosine was concentrated in the same regions. Bright Q-bands at the telomeric ends of the short arms of some chromosomes probably represent a second type of repetitive DNA. Ag-staining showed that only the chromosomes bearing a secondary constriction are nucleolus organizer chromosomes.