Karyotypes of Six Soricomorph Species from Emei Shan, Sichuan Province, China

We report the karyotypes of six species of the order Soricomorpha (Mammalia), based on specimens collected from Emei Shan (Mount Emei) in central Sichuan Province, China: two talpid species, Uropsilus andersoni (diploid chromosome number [2n]=34, fundamental number of chromosome arms including two X chromosomes [FN]=56) and Scaptonyx fusicaudus (2n=34, FN=64); and four soricid species, Episoriculus sacratus (2n=58, FN=108), Anourosorex squamipes (2n=48, FN=96), Sorex cylindricauda (2n=30, FN=50), and Sorex bedfordiae (2n=24/25, FN=46/48). This is the first report of the karyotypes of all species except Sc. fusicaudus and A. squamipes. Episoriculus sacratus is considered to be a valid species in Sichuan, separated from the Nepalese E. soluensis based on differences in the karyotype. The karyotype of S. bedfordiae showed polymorphism due to the occurrence of a B chromosome. Differences in the karyotypes of S. cylindricauda and S. bedfordiae could be explained mostly by seven Robertsonian translocations revealed by G-band karyotypes.