Karyology of the Acipenseridae family in relation to the hybridization and taxonomy problems.

Burtzev JA. Nikoljukin NJ. Serebryakova EV. 1976.

The paper gives the results of investigations concerning karyological structure of the representatives of the Acipenseridae family in the waters of the Soviet Union. On the basis of the results obtained in the hybridization of certain species of genera Acipenser and Huso with 60 chromosomes, a conclusion has been reached that genera Acipenser and Huso should be united. Karyological identity of certain species of genera Acipenser and Huso has been established.

Quotation from the text:
“While studying chromosomes in the cells of the gill mucus and in the embryo cells treated with colchicine we revealed an interesting peculiarity. Nucleus of all 60 and 120 chromosomous species had 49-52 chromosome more than it was determined at the blastula stage without colchicine. Extra chromosomous appeared to be microchromosomes. Thus, karyotypes of great sturgeon, sterlet and sevriuga included not only 60 chromosomes, but even 109-112 and their arms number was 159-165.”