Centric fusion polymorphism in captive animals of family Bovidae

Chromosomes of 228 captive specimens of the family Bovidae have been investigated. The examined animals were classified into the subfamilies Aepycerotinae, Reduncinae, Antilopinae, Alcelaphinae, Hippotraginae and Bovinae. Polymorphism for one fusion was identified in the species: Aepyceros melampus, 2n = 59–60; Redunca fulvorufula, 2n = 56–57; Kobus e. ellipsiprymnus, 2n = 50–52; Kobus e. defassa, 2n = 52–54 and Syncerus c. nanus, 2n = 54–55. This is the first study to reveal fusion 7;29 in Kobus e. defassa and simultaneously the respective polymorphism. Variation in the diploid number of chromosomes is also known in species: Oryx g. dammah and Oryx g. leucoryx but in this study only fusion 1;25 was identified in both karyotyped species. Our study showed that 13% of investigated individuals were polymorphic for the centric fusion and demonstrated the important role of cytogenetic screening in captive animals at zoological gardens.