52. Karyological Kinship of Two Species of Mustelids, Mustela erminea nippon and Martes melampus melampus

Abstract

The karyological relatedness between the ermine ( Mustela erminea nippon) and the Japanese marten ( Martes melampus melampus) can be explained by three Robertsonian fusions and two pericentric inversions on the basis of the G-band homology. Phylogenesis of the mustelid species of Japan is briefly discussed, from a karyosystematic viewpoint, making reference to the three species of mustelids reported previously. © 1987, The Japan Academy. All rights reserved.