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A bisexually reproducing all-triploid vertebrate

Nature Genetics volume 30, pages 325–328 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Green toads are common in the Palaearctic region, where they have differentiated into several taxa1,2. The toads exist with variable amounts of ploidy, similar to other anuran species3 or reptiles4. In vertebrate biology, the very rare occurrence of triploidy is coupled with infertility or unisexuality, or requires the coexistence of individuals of different ploidy in a reproductive community. The reproduction of naturally occurring triploids has been reported to occur only through parthenogenesis, gynogenesis or hybridogenesis. The bisexual reproduction of pure triploids has been considered to be impossible because of the problem of equally distributing three chromosome sets in meiosis. Here we report geographically isolated populations of green toads (Bufo viridis complex) that are all-triploid and reproduce bisexually.

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Figure 1: All-triploid, bisexually reproducing green toads (B. pseudoraddei baturae) from the Hunza Valley, Karakoram, Pakistan.
Figure 2: DNA content of testis cells in green toads of different ploidy.
Figure 3: NOR signals in triploid toads.
Figure 4: Diagram of the reproductive system in triploid Batura toads with two possible mechanisms for oogenesis.
Figure 5: Inheritance of polymorphic markers in the offspring of a triploid female.

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Acknowledgements

We thank W. Böhme, L.J. Borkin, A. Dubois and R. Günther for references; R. Dressel and H. Veith for assistance during field work in Pakistan; A. Hamel for combinatory views; I. Haufe for statistical advice; E. Trautmann and M. Kuhne for help with histological preparations; D. Frynta for animals; G. Moritz for technical support and C. and H. Stöck for technical and financial help. The costs of publication have been defrayed by the 15th International Chromosome Conference. This work was supported in part by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and a graduate fellowship of the country Saxony-Anhalt (Germany; to M.St.).

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Author notes

  1. Matthias Stöck

    Present address: Klinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Kromayer-Str. 5-6, Halle (Saale), D-06097, Germany

  2. Thomas Klapperstück

    Present address: Staatliche Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Museum für Tierkunde, Herpetologie, Königsbrücker Landstrasse 159, D-01109, Dresden, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Zoologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Domplatz 4, Halle (Saale), D-06099, Germany

    Matthias Stöck & Wolf-Rüdiger Grosse

  2. Lehrstuhl für Phyziologische Chemie I, Theodor-Boveri-Institut, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany

    Dunja K. Lamatsch, Kathrin P. Lampert & Manfred Schartl

  3. Institut für Humangenetik, Theodor-Boveri-Institut, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany

    Claus Steinlein & Michael Schmid

  4. Lehrstuhl für Zoologie I, Theodor-Boveri-Institut, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany

    Robert Hock & Ulrich Scheer

  5. Abteilung Molekulare Humangenetik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, D-44780, Germany

    Jörg T. Epplen

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Correspondence to Manfred Schartl.

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Stöck, M., Lamatsch, D., Steinlein, C. et al. A bisexually reproducing all-triploid vertebrate. Nat Genet 30, 325–328 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng839

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