Chromosomal studies were conducted on Macrobrachium rosenbergii. On the basis of 50 metaphase plate counts, 38 metacentric, 14 sub metacentric and 66 telocentric chromosomes (2n = 118) were observed. The total length of the granomme was recorded to be 34.2 micron

Fotedar, S.

Krishna, G.

Kumar Jain, A.

Aquatic Commons

Journal of the Indian Fisheries Association 
21, 1991, 47-48 
KARYOTYPIC STUDIES OF FRESHWATER PRAWN 
MACHROBRACHIUM ROSENBERGII 
GO PAL KRISHNA, SEEMA FOTEDAR AND ATUL KUMAR JAIN 
Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova, Bombay- 400 061. 
ABSTRACT 
Chromosomal studies were conducted on Macrobrachium rose11bergii. On the basis of 50 metaphase plate counts, 38 
metacentric, 14 sub metacentric and 66 telocentric chromosomes (2n = 118) were observed. The total length of the genome 
was recorded to be 34.2 micron. 
Macrobrachium rosenbergii being an important 
species of palaemonid prawns draws more attention 
because of its commercial value, as it has been 
reported that the males grow 1.4 times larger than 
the females (Sagi et a!., 1986). Thus, identification 
of males at the earlier stages of life and giving them 
more suitable atmosphere may prove still better in 
the performance of their somatic growth. Moreover, 
the kmyological investigation will be significant for 
better understanding of their evolutionary trend 
and position in taxonomical hierarchy. For genetic 
manipulation and ploidy induction studies also this 
information is very important. The present paper 
deals with the precise number of the chromosomes, 
genome length, karyogram and idiogram of 
macrobrachium rosenbergii. 
Live post larvae of M. rosenbergii were reared in Plate 1 : Chromosomal spread (X 500) 
fibre glass pools. Before the study, they were kept 
in an aquarium and were allowed to swim in 
water having Colchicine (0.01% ). After about 3-3.5 
hrs, post larva was crushed in a homogeniser and 
subjected to hypotonic treatment with potassium 
chloride (0.56%) for 25 minutes. It was washed with 
freshly prepared acetoethanol solution (1:3). The 
whole mass was centrifuged at 1000 rpm for 10 
minutes. This process was repeated three times. The 
chromosomal spread were prepared on clean, cold 
and dry slides; air dried and stained in Giemsa (10%) 
for 25 minutes and viewed under oil immersion 
(100 X) lens of a compound microscope. 
Observation~ on karyological investigation were 
based on counting of 50 metaphase plates (plates 1 
& 2). The diploid chromosomes were ascertained to 
be 118 in number on the basis of mode value. This 
number is in accordance with the result of Komagata 
et a!., (1988) and Justo et a/., (1991). The 
morphological structure of the chromosomes is 38 
meracentric, 14 submetacentric ancl 66 telocentric 
47 
Plate 2 : Karyotype of M. rosenbergii (X 500) 
(211 :::: 118) 
48 NOTES 
REFERENCES 
Ahmed, M. J, and Nayak, B. 1991. Chromosome 
number in twenty five species of Indian decapod 
101J 1 crustacea. Chromosome Information Service. 50, 2. I. 
Beck, M. L. and Bigger, C. J, 1980. Karyological 
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l+l+I+I#+Htl+l++HittttthmTTTnmri111TIIrmnTI1Tl,.....-~------t P CJtae us az t ecu s i ves prawn I arvae. M aha sa gar 
Fig. 1: Idiogram of M. Rosenbergii 
chromosomes. From the karyotype, an idiogram was 
prepared (fig.1). The length of the homologus 
pair of chromosome varies from 0.7 to 1.8 microns. 
The total length of genome was recorded to be 
34.2 microns. Niiyama (1959,1962) is probably the 
best starting point for the decapod karyology. 
Lobsters, penaeid and non-penaeid prawns appear 
lobe diploid with no evidence of sex chromosomes 
morphologically distinct from the autosomes 
(Malecha, 1983). Milligan ( 1976) karyotyped three 
peJlaeid species P. aztecus, P. setiferus and P. 
duorarum. Goswami (1985) also studied the 
karyomorphology of P. aztecus and reported 2n 
chromosomes to be 88. Mi ttal and Dhall ( 1971) 
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siwalikensis is 100. 
The present investigation on M. rosenhergii 
chromosomes is in accordance with the study of 
Komagata et a!., ( 1988) and Jus to et a/., (1991 ). 
However, the type of the chromosomes is not 
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Ahmed & Nayak (1991). The difference may be 
due to the dose variation of colchicine as a 
pretreatment. Similar difference has also been 
observed by. Beck & Bigger (1980). 
The authors are thankful to Dr. V. R. P. Sinha 
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Karyotypic studies of freshwater prawn Machrobrachium rosenbergii

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Karyotypic studies of freshwater prawn Machrobrachium rosenbergii

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