Background: To date less than 10% of bird species have been karyotyped. They are rather conservative with diploid chromosome numbers about 78-80 in most species examined. Immunostaining of meiotic chromosomes at pachytene stage enables more precise estimates of the number, morphology and variability of macro- and microchromosomes than conventional analysis of mitotic metaphase chromosomes does. Analysis of pachytene chromosomes led to discovery of germline-restricted chromosome (GRC) that was present in germline cells and absent in somatic cells in all 16 species of passerine birds examined. GRC has not been found in any non-passerine bird. Results: In this study, using immunolocalization of SYCP3, the main protein of the lateral elements of the synaptonemal complex (SC) and centromere proteins we examined male pachytene karyotypes of sixteen passerine species and one outgroup species the Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus and provided their idiograms and precise estimates of their diploid chromosome numbers and the numbers of chromosome arms. We provided the first description of the karyotypes of three species, corrected the published data on the karyotypes of ten species and confirmed them for four species. The pachytene cells of the Gouldian finch, Brambling and Common linnet contained heteromorphic bivalents indicating heterozygosity for inversions or centromere shifts. The European pied flycatcher, Gouldian finch and Domestic canary have extended centromeres in several macro- and microchromosomes. GRCs of various sizes and shapes were detected in all passerine species examined. Their chromatin was heavily labeled by anticentromere antibodies. The lateral elements of the GRC SC varied in their size from the largest to the smallest element of the pachytene karyotype. They also varied in shape from continuous to fragmented. Conclusions: All songbirds examined, except the Eurasian skylark, have highly conservative karyotypes, 2n=80-82+GRC with seven pairs of macrochromosomes and 33-34 pairs of microchromosomes. The interspecies differences concern the sizes of the macrochromosomes, morphology of the microchromosomes and sizes of the centromeres. GRC is present in all songbird species examined, varying in size, morphology and SC structure even between closely related species. This indicates its fast evolution.
A new passeriform (Aves: Passeriformes) from the early Oligocene of Poland sheds light on the beginnings of Suboscines
