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This study was financed in part by the Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001 Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Gen?tica e Biologia Molecular. Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Paran?. Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Gen?tica. Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. University of Cambridge. Department of Veterinary Medicine. Cambridge Resource Centre for Comparative Genomics. Cambridge, United Kingdom. University of Cambridge. Department of Veterinary Medicine. Cambridge Resource Centre for Comparative Genomics. Cambridge, United Kingdom. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Exatas e Naturais. Bel?m, PA, Brazil / Minist?rio da Sa?de. Secretaria de Vigil?ncia em Sa?de. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil. Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. Despite the richness of species in the Hirudinidae family, little is known about the genome organization of swallows. The Progne tapera species presents genetic and morphological difference when compared to other members of the same genus. Hence, the aims of this study were to analyze the chromosomal evolution of three species Progne tapera, Progne chalybea and Pygochelidon cyanoleuca - by comparative chromosome painting using two sets of probes, Gallus gallus and Zenaida auriculata, in order to determine chromosome homologies and the relationship between these species. All karyotypes exhibited 76 chromosomes with similar morphology, except for the 5th, 6th and 7th chromosome pairs in P. cyanoleuca. Additionally, comparative chromosome painting demonstrated the same hybridization pattern in the two Progne, which was similar to the putative avian ancestral karyotype, except for the centric fission in the first pair, as found in other Passeriformes. Thus, these data display a close relationship between the Progne species. Although P. cyanoleuca demonstrated the same fission in the first pair of the ancestral syntenic (GGA1), it also showed an additional chromosomal rearrangement for this species, namely a fusion with a microchromosome in the seventh pair

Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Diversidade Gen?tica Animal. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Gen?tica e Biologia Molecular, Laborat?rio de Citogen?tica e Evolu??o. Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Diversidade Gen?tica Animal. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Pampa. Gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas Licenciatura. Laborat?rio de Diversidade Gen?tica Animal. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Paran?. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Gen?tica. Laborat?rio de Citogen?tica e Gen?tica da Conserva??o Animal. Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Gen?tica e Biologia Molecular. Laborat?rio de Cultura de Tecidos e Citogen?tica. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Exatas e Naturais. Bel?m, PA, Brazil / Minist?rio da Sa?de. Secretaria de Vigil?ncia em Sa?de. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Laborat?rio de Cultura de Tecidos e Citogen?tica. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil. Universidade Federal de S?o Carlos. Departamento de Gen?tica e Evolu??o. S?o Carlos, SP, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Diversidade Gen?tica Animal. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Pampa. Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Diversidade Gen?tica Animal. S?o Gabriel, RS, Brazil. As in many other bird groups, data on karyotype organization and distribution of repetitive sequences are also lacking in species belonging to the family Hirundinidae. Thus, in the present study, we analyzed the karyotypes of 3 swallow species (Progne tapera, Progne chalybea, and Pygochelidon cyanoleuca) by Giemsa and AgNOR staining, C-banding, and FISH with 11 microsatellite sequences. The diploid chromosome number was 2n = 76 in all 3 species, and NORs were observed in 2 chromosome pairs each. The microsatellite distribution pattern was similar in both Progne species, whereas P. cyanoleuca presented a distinct organization. These repetitive DNA sequences were found in the centromeric, pericentromeric, and telomeric regions of the macrochromosomes, as well as in 2 interstitial blocks in the W chromosome. Most microchromosomes had mainly telomeric signals. The Z chromosome displayed 1 hybridization signal in P. tapera but none in the other species. In contrast, the W chromosome showed an accumulation of different microsatellite sequences. The swallow W chromosome is larger than that of most Passeriformes. The observed enlargement in chromosome size might be explained by these high amounts of repetitive sequences. In sum, our data highlight the significant role that microsatellite sequences may play in sex chromosome differentiation.

Information on the breeding biology of Neotropical swallows is scarce (Bent 1942, Ricklefs 1971, Ridgely 1976). The aim of this study was to determine some details of breeding biology of Neotropical swallows for comparison with temperate zone species.

Boa constrictors inhabiting islands off the coast of Belize have been historically collected for the pet trade, and enthusiasts have described these as a dwarfed race. Additionally, it has been suggested that these boas feed on birds, yet no dietary data are available. I initiated a mark-recapture study of five Belizean island populations and have accumulated data on mainland individuals to describe the natural history and population biology of boas in this region. Results indicate that adult island boas from West Snake Cay eat small passerine birds (gray-breasted martins, Progne chalybea) that average 7% of the snake’s mass. Fecal samples from boas on other islands contained bird feathers and, although these feathers were unidentifiable, this indicates that other island boa populations also consume birds. Compared to mainland boas, island boas have significantly smaller litters of smaller neonates (lighter and shorter) and have extraordinarily small population sizes (range 8–88 total individuals). According to IUCN criteria, island boas can be classified as Endangered based solely on total population and subpopulation sizes. Collection data, gathered from the literature and unpublished sources, revealed a decline in one island population (Crawl Cay) that is currently estimated to consist of eight free-ranging individuals. Island populations of Belizean boas warrant immediate conservation priority due to their low reproductive output, small population sizes, and continued demand in the pet trade.