The banded karyotype ofCercopithecus mitis maesi compared with the karyotypes ofC. albogularis samango andC. nictitans stampflii

The karyotypes ofCercopithecus alcogularis andC. mitis, both with 72 chromosomes, are similar but differ in a numer of rearrangements.C. nicitans (2n=70) andC. mitis karyotypes, even though differing in diploid number, appear to be closely related to each other because of several banding features and especially because they may be linked by a derived complex inversion polymorphism. The results show that chromosomal inversion variants can survive speciation. These results do not support recent chromosomal phylogenetic interpretations which were based on the finding of a diploid number of 2n=70 forC. mitis. The results described here emphasize the use of chromosomal characters in the study of the phylogeny and taxonomy ofCercopithecus.