Abstract
Sex chromosomes in mammals are generally of the XY type with the X chromosome constituting 5% by weight of the haploid chromosomal complement. Unusually large sex chromosomes have been described in a few species all of which belong to theRodentia, but two members of theArtiodactyla, the African sitatunga and the Indian blackbuck, have now been found to have this peculiarity. The sitatunga has an X chromosome that represents 13.08% and a Y that represents 7.29% of the haploid complement, and the X of the blackbuck represents 14.96% of its haploid complement. Portions of both extra large sex chromosomes in a pair are late replicating. Theories concerning the formation of these outsized chromosomes are discussed.
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Wurster, D.H., Benirschke, K. & Noelke, H. Unusually large sex chromosomes in the sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekei) and the blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra). Chromosoma 23, 317–323 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02451003
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02451003