ACTA ZOOLOGICA BULGARICA, cilt.62, sa.2, ss.161-166, 2010 (SCI-Expanded)
Mole rats of the genus Nannospalax having high karyotypic variability (chromosome numbers ranging from 2n = 36 to 2n = 62) are dominant mammals occupying the subterranean niche in Anatolia. Respective distributional ranges of karyotypic forms within this taxon remain uncertain due to insufficient data. In the present study, karyological analyses of 36 specimens belonging to N. nehringi were examined from 10 sampling sites of Western Turkey. During the study, five karyotypic forms were recorded (2n = 36 NF = 68 from Aydin, 2n = 40 NF = 72 from Isparta, 2n = 56 NF = 72 from Usak, 2n = 60 NF = 78 from Isparta and 2n = 60 NF = 84 from Denizli and Burdur). When distribution areas of karyotipic forms are considered, these karyotypes are new records for this taxon in Turkey. In addition, this study aims to determine the most likely distribution areas of the four chromosome forms (2n = 36, 40, 56, 60) in Turkey paying attention on previously verified localities data.