Karyological study in hybrids of beluga Huso huso (L.) and the russian sturgeon Acipenser guldenstaedti Brandt

Gorshkova G. Gorshkov S. Gordin H. Knibb W

This study presents the karyotype analysis of the sturgeon hybrid between the Russian sturgeon Acipenser guldenstaedti (2n=250) and beluga Huso huso (2n=118-120) which was recently introduced to Israel as a subject for experimental culturing. The consistent mode of diploid chromosome number of hybrid fish is 181-190. The karyotype is characterized by 78 metacentric and submetacentric, 16 acrocentric (8 of them are relatively large) and about 88 microchromosomes. Our results confirm the intermediate origin of the hybrid between species with (in the family Acipenseridae) a large number of chromosomes and species with about half the number of chromosomes. The presence of numerous microchromosomes and polyploid origin of the family Acipenseridae raises some uncertainty as to whether the hybrid will be completely sterile.