GYNOGENESIS IN SALAMANDERS RELATED TO AMBYSTOMA JEFFERSONIANUM

Abstract

The oocytes of naturally occurring triploid females of the Ambystoma jeffersonianum complex each contain 84 lampbrush chromosomes. This constitutes hexaploidy (n = 14). The chromosomes are joined into pairs by chiasmata and form 42 bivalents. It is suggested that meiosis in triploid females is preceded by an endomitosis and the resulting sister chromosomes synapse to form pseudo-bivalents. Sperm from diploid males stimulate development of the triploid eggs but do not contribute chromosomes to the triploid nucleus. Bivalents in the oocytes of triploids have twice as many chiasmata as the corresponding bivalents in diploid animals. Such chiasmata cannot result in genetic recombination.