Summary
Since viable intergeneric hybrids between the chicken (Gallus domesticus) and the pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) have been reported, as well as interfamilial hybrids between the chicken and the turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), the chromosome complements of the pheasant and the turkey were compared with that of the chicken. In these three species belonging to the order Galli, the Z-chromosomes appeared to be identical, while the autosomal complements of the pheasant and the turkey differed radically from that of the chicken. It was noted with some surprise that the pheasant of the family Phasianidae and the turkey of the family Meleagridae have very similar chromosome complements, at least so far as gross morphology of somatic metaphase chromosomes is concerned.
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This work was supported in part by grant C-5138 from the National Cancer Institute, U.S. Public Health Service, and grant C-17601 from the National Science Foundation.
The authors gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Rea's Game Birds, Paramount, California, who supplied the pheasant chicks, and the McPherin Hatcheries, Sunnymead, California, who furnished the turkey chicks. The authors also appreciate the editorial assistance of'Patricia A. Ray.
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Stenius, C., Christian, L.C. & Ohno, S. Comparative cytological study of Phasianus colchicus, Meleagris gallopavo, and Gallus domesticus. Chromosoma 13, 515–520 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00321160
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00321160