Karyological study of Amphisbaena ridleyi (Squamata, Amphisbaenidae), an endemic species of the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil

A karyological study of Amphisbaena ridleyi, an endemic amphisbaenian species from the UNESCO-listed Brazilian Atlantic Islands, reveals its diploid chromosome number is 46, comprising nine pairs of macrochromosomes (including metacentrics, subtelocentrics, and acrocentrics) and 14 pairs of microchromosomes. Ag-NOR staining identified active nucleolar organizer regions in the telomeric region of chromosome 2, while FISH with a telomeric probe confirmed telomeric signals across all chromosomes. This study provides foundational cytogenetic data for A. ridleyi, highlighting its unique chromosomal structure and suggesting evolutionary distinctiveness within amphisbaenians. Further research is needed to contextualize these findings within broader phylogenetic frameworks of the clade.

Laguna, M. M., Amaro, R. C., Mott, T., Yonenaga-Yassuda, Y., & Rodrigues, M. T. (2010). Karyological study of Amphisbaena ridleyi (Squamata, Amphisbaenidae), an endemic species of the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil. Genetics and Molecular Biology, 33(1), 57–61. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1415-47572010005000009