Karyotype and C-banding pattern of the domestic geese Anser anser populations (Aves: Anatidae) in Egypt.

The karyotype and C-banding pattern of domestic Greylag geese Anser anser anser populations collected from five localities in El Minia, Egypt, that have either whitish grey or white feather color patterns were described. All populations have a diploid number of 2n= 80 chromosomes. Of the 80 chromosomes, 10 pairs, including ZW chromosomes, were macrochromosomes and the remaining 30 pairs were microchromosomes. Slight variation in the size of macrochromosomes was observed amongst populations. However, obvious variation of C-banding distribution was found and attributed to variation of euchromatin content and its correlation with chromosome size and arrangement of constitutive heterochromatin. Nevertheless, significant variation in the mean number of C-heterochromatin blocks in microchromosomes was attributed to either transformation of heterochromatin into euchromatin and vice versa or to involvement of structural chromosomal aberrations during karyotype evolution. The present results show that A. anser populations common in Egypt could be distinguished from those of A. anser and A. cygnoides occurring elsewhere in Europe and Asiaviavariability in chromosome morphology of pairs nos. 2, 3 and 4.