KARYOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON THREE SPECIES OF MALE CRABS (POTAMONIDAE : DECAPODA : CRUSTACEA)
OM PARKASH MITTAL *
Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014
SAHARSH PAHWA *
Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Three species of freshwater crabs (Family Potamonidae), Paratelphusa (Barytelphusa) guerini, Paratelphusa (Oziotelphusa) hydrodromus and Potamon (Potamon) koolooense possess the haploid number of 40,59 and 33 chromosomes respectively. Whereas Paratelphusa (Barytelphusa) guerini and Paratelphusa (Oziotelphusa) hydrodromus are quite new to cytology, Potamon(Polamon) koolooense has been re-investigated. In case of Paratelphusa (Barytelphusa) guerini its two varieties, viz. planata and pocockiana have been found to differ from each other in having 1 and 1-4 supernumerary chromosomes respectively. In the former variety the supernumerary may mot be present in all the individuals.
Keywords: Animal Cytotaxonomy, Crustacean Chromosomes, Crab Cytology