MITOTIC AND MEIOTIC CHROMOSOMES OF ARTEMIA (BRANCHIOPODA) FROM POPULATIONS OF LA-PAMPA PROVINCE, ARGENTINA

Three populations of Artemia from La Pampa Province, Argentina, were c ytogenetically analyzed: Salinas Grandes de Hidalgo, Laguna Callaqueo. and Laguna Colorada Chica. Both mitotic and male meiotic chromosomes were studied. All 3 populations share the same diploid (2n = 44) and/o r haploid chromosome number (n = 22), and hence were determined as Art emia persimilis Piccinelli and Prosdocimi. Although bivalents decrease gradually in size, differences among the larger and the smaller ones n ere apparent. So far, no cytogenetic differences have been detected among the 3 populations. Chromosomes with metacentric, submetacentric, and telocentric morphology were detected in mitotic prometaphase cell s, suggesting that chromosomes of Artemia may be monocentric.