U2 and U4 snDNA Comparative Chromosomal Mapping in the Neotropical Fish Genera and (Characiformes: Parodontidae).

Small nuclear DNA (snDNA) are valuable cytogenetic markers for comparative studies in chromosome evolution because different distribution patterns were found among species. Parodontidae, a Neotropical fish family, is known to have female heterogametic sex chromosome systems in some species. The U2 and U4 snDNA sites have been found to be involved in Z and W chromosome differentiation in sp., , and . However, few studies have evaluated snDNA sites as propulsors of chromosome diversification among closely related fish species. In this study, we investigated the distribution of U2 and U4 snDNA clusters in the chromosomes of 10 populations/species belonging to and , aiming to identify chromosomal homeologies or diversification. localization data revealed a submetacentric pair carrying the U2 snDNA site among the populations/species analyzed. Furthermore, all studied species demonstrated homeology in the location of U4 snDNA cluster in the proximal region of metacentric pair 1, besides an additional signal showing up with a divergence in . Comparative chromosomal mapping of U4 snDNA also helped to reinforce the proposal of the ZZ/ZWW sex chromosome system origin in an population. According to cytogenetic data, the study corroborates the diversification in Parodontidae paired species with uncertain taxonomy.