List of organisms by chromosome count

Karyotype of a human being, showing 22 pair of autosomal chromosomes and both the XX female and the XY male possibilities for the pair of sex chromosome

Fusion of ancestral chromosomes left distinctive remnants of telomeres, and a vestigial centromere. As other non-human extant hominidae have 48 chromosomes it is believed that the human chromosome 2 is the end result of the merging of two chromosomes.^[1]

The list of organisms by chromosome count describes ploidy or numbers of chromosomes in the cells of various plants, animals, protists, and other living organisms. This number, along with the visual appearance of the chromosome, is known as the karyotype,^[2][3][4] and can be found by looking at the chromosomes through a microscope. Attention is paid to their length, the position of the centromeres, banding pattern, any differences between the sex chromosomes, and any other physical characteristics.^[5] The preparation and study of karyotypes is part of cytogenetics.

Diploid number ("2n") is given, except as noted.

Organism	Picture	Group	Scientific name	Diploid number of chromosomes (2n = x), except as noted	Notes
Ciliated protozoa		Other Eukaryotes	Oxytricha trifallax	1,900x = ~30,000,000 [6][7]	Macronuclear "nanochromosomes"; ampliploid.
Ciliated protozoa		Other Eukaryotes	Tetrahymena thermophila	10 (in micronucleus)	50x = 12,500 (in macronucleus, except minichromosomes) 10,000x = 10,000 (macronuclear minichromosomes)[8]
Black mulberry		Plants	Morus nigra	:308 !308 [9]	In this case, the chromosome number is docosaploid, or 22 times the basic number.
Agrodiaetus butterfly		Animals	Agrodiaetus shahrami	:268 !268 [10]	This insect has one of the highest chromosome numbers among all multicellular animals.
Adders-tongue		Plants	Ophioglossum	:240 !240	n=120–720 with a high degree of polyploidization[11] n=720 in hexaploid species O. reticulatum. A google book search for "ophioglossum reticulatum chromosomes" returns values of 2n=768 and 2n=1260, though these sources may be wp:circular and unreliable.
Field horsetail		Plants	Equisetum arvense	:216 !216
Rattlesnake fern		Plants	Botrypus virginianus	:184 !184[12]
Northern lamprey		Animals	Petromyzontinae	:164 !174[13]
Carp		Animals		:104 !104
Red viscacha rat		Animals	Tympanoctomys barrerae	:102 !102 [14]	Highest number known in mammals, thought to be a tetraploid[15] or allotetraploid.[16]
Kamraj (fern)		Plants	Helminthostachys zeylanica	94
Aquatic rat		Animals	Anotomys leander	92[17]	Previously thought to be the highest number in mammals, tied with Ichthyomys pittieri.
Shrimp		Animals	Penaeus semisulcatus	86–92 [18]
Pittier's crab-eating rat		Animals	Ichthyomys pittieri	92[17]	Previously thought to be the highest number in mammals, tied with Anotomys leander.
Grape fern		Plants	Sceptridium	90
Hedgehog Genus Atelerix (African hedgehogs)		Animals		90
Moonworts		Plants	Botrychium	90
Hedgehog genus Erinaceus (woodland hedgehogs)		Animals		88
Great white shark		Animals	Carcharodon carcharias	82[19]
Pigeon		Animals	Columbidae	80 [20]
Turkey		Animals	Meleagris	80[21]
Tropical pitcher plant		Plants	Nepenthes rafflesiana	78 [22]
African wild dog		Animals	Lycaon pictus	78[23]
Chicken		Animals	Gallus gallus domesticus	78
Coyote		Animals	Canis latrans	78[23]
Dhole		Animals	Cuon alpinus	78
Dingo		Animals	Canis lupus dingo	78[23]
Dog		Animals	Canis lupus familiaris	78[24]	76 autosomal and 2 sexual.[25]
Dove		Animals	Columbidae	78[26]	Based on African collared dove
Golden jackal		Animals	Canis aureus	78[23]
Gray wolf		Animals	Canis lupus	78
Maned wolf		Animals	Chrysocyon brachyurus	76
American black bear		Animals	Ursus americanus	74
Asiatic black bear		Animals	Ursus thibetanus	74
Brown bear		Animals	Ursus arctos	74
Polar bear		Animals	Ursus maritimus	74
Sloth bear		Animals	Melursus ursinus	74
Sun bear		Animals	Helarctos malayanus	74
Bat-eared fox		Animals	Otocyon megalotis	72[23]
Black nightshade		Plants	Solanum nigrum	72[27]
White-tailed deer		Animals	Odocoileus virginianus	70
Elk (Wapiti)		Animals	Cervus canadensis	68
Red deer		Animals	Cervus elaphus	68
Gray fox		Animals	Urocyon cinereoargenteus	66[23]
Raccoon dog		Animals	Nyctereutes procyonoides	66	Some variation in the number of chromosomes between individuals [28]
Chinchilla		Animals	Chinchilla lanigera	64 [29]
Echidna		Animals		63/64	63 (X1Y1X2Y2X3Y3X4Y4X5, male) and 64 (X1X1X2X2X3X3X4X4X5X5, female)[30]
Fennec fox		Animals	Vulpes zerda	64[23]
Horse		Animals	Equus ferus caballus	64
Spotted skunk		Animals	Spilogale x	64
Mule		Animals		63	semi-infertile (odd number of chromosomes - between donkey (62) and horse (64) makes meiosis much more difficult)
Donkey		Animals	Equus africanus asinus	62
Giraffe		Animals	Giraffa camelopardalis	62
Gypsy moth		Animals	Lymantria dispar dispar	62
Bengal fox		Animals	Vulpes bengalensis	60
American bison		Animals	Bison bison	60
Cow/Bull		Animals	Bos primigenius	60
Goat		Animals	Capra aegagrus hircus	60
Yak		Animals	Bos mutus	60
Woolly mammoth		Animals	Mammuthus primigenius	58	extinct; tissue from a frozen carcass
Elephant		Animals	Elephantidae	56
Gaur		Animals	Bos gaurus	56
Capuchin monkey		Animals	Cebus x	54[31]
Hyrax		Animals	Hyracoidea	54 !54[32]	Hyraxes are considered to be the closest living relative to the Elephant.[33]
Sheep		Animals	Ovis orientalis aries	54
Silkworm		Animals	Bombyx mori	54
Cotton		Plants	Gossypium hirsutum	52[34]	2n=4x; Cultivated upland cotton is derived from an allotetraploid
Platypus		Animals	Ornithorhynchus anatinus	52 [35]	Ten sex chromosomes.
Spectacled bear		Animals	Tremarctos ornatus	52
Kit fox		Animals	Vulpes macrotis	50
Pineapple		Plants	Ananas comosus	50[34]
Striped skunk		Animals	Mephitis mephitis	50
Water buffalo (swamp type)		Animals	Bubalus bubalis	50
Zebrafish		Animals	Danio rerio	50[36]
Beaver (Eurasian)		Animals	Castor fiber	48
Chimpanzee		Animals	Pan troglodytes	48[37]
Deer mouse		Animals	Peromyscus maniculatus	48
Gorilla		Animals	Gorilla	48
Hare[38][39]		Animals	Lepus	48
Orangutan		Animals	Pongo x	48
Potato		Plants	Solanum tuberosum	48[34]	This is a tetraploid; wild relatives mostly have 2n=24.[34]
Tobacco		Plants	Nicotiana tabacum	48[34]	Cultivated species is a tetraploid.[34]
Water buffalo (river type)		Animals	Bubalus bubalis	48
Human		Animals	Homo sapiens	46[40]	44 autosomal and 2 sex
Reeves's muntjac		Animals	Muntiacus reevesi	46
Sable antelope		Animals	Hippotragus niger	46
Dolphin		Animals	Delphinidae Delphi	44
Moon jellyfish		Animals	Aurelia aurita	44 [41]
Eurasian badger		Animals	Meles meles	44
European rabbit		Animals	Oryctolagus cuniculus	44
Fossa		Animals	Cryptoprocta ferox	42
Giant panda		Animals	Ailuropoda melanoleuca	42
Oats		Plants	Avena sativa	42[34]	This is a hexaploid with 2n=6x=42. Diploid and tetraploid cultivated species also exist.[34]
Raccoon dog		Animals	Nyctereutes procyonoides	42	some sources say sub-species differ with 38, 54, and even 56 chromosomes
Rat		Animals	Rattus norvegicus	42 [42]
Rhesus monkey		Animals	Macaca mulatta	42[43]
Wheat		Plants	Triticum aestivum	42[34]	This is a hexaploid with 2n=6x=42. Durum wheat is Triticum turgidum var. durum, and is a tetraploid with 2n=4x=28.[34]
Wolverine		Animals	Gulo gulo	42
Beaver (American)		Animals	Castor canadensis	40
European polecat		Animals	Mustela putorius	40
Ferret		Animals	Mustela putorius furo	40
Hyena		Animals	Hyaenidae	40
Mango		Plants	Mangifera indica	40[34]
Mouse		Animals	Mus musculus	40[44]
Trans-Pecos ratsnake		Animals	Bogertophis subocularis	40[45]
African clawed frog		Animals	Xenopus laevis	38[46]
American marten		Animals	Martes americana	38
Baja California ratsnake		Animals	Bogertophis rosaliae	38[47]
Beech marten		Animals	Martes foina	38
Cat		Animals	Felis silvestris catus	38
Coatimundi		Animals		38
European mink		Animals	Mustela lutreola	38
Fisher		Animals		38	a type of marten
Lion		Animals	Panthera leo	38
Oriental small-clawed otter		Animals	Aonyx cinerea	38
Pig		Animals	Sus	38
Pine marten		Animals	Martes martes	38
Raccoon		Animals	Procyon lotor	38[48]
Sable		Animals	Martes zibellina	38
Sea otter		Animals	Enhydra lutris	38
Tanuki/raccoon dog		Animals	Nyctereutes procyonoides albus	38
Tiger		Animals	Panthera tigris	38
Earthworm		Animals	Lumbricus terrestris	36
Long-nosed cusimanse		Animals	crossarchus obscurus	36
Meerkat		Animals	Suricata suricatta	36
Red panda		Animals	Ailurus fulgens	36
Starfish		Animals	Asteroidea	36
Tibetan sand fox		Animals	Vulpes ferrilata	36
Yellow mongoose		Animals	Cynictis penicillata	36
Porcupine		Animals	Erethizon dorsatum	34 [29]
Red fox		Animals	Vulpes vulpes	34[23]	Plus 3-5 microsomes.
Alfalfa		Plants	Medicago sativa	32[34]	page=165/>
American badger		Animals	Taxidea taxus	32
European honey bee		Animals	Apis mellifera	32	32 for females, males are haploid and thus have 16.
Yeast		Other Eukaryotes	Saccharomyces cerivisiae	32
American mink		Animals	Neovison vison	30
Pill millipede		Animals	Arthrosphaera magna attems	30	[49]
Bittersweet nightshade		Plants	Solanum dulcamara	24[50][51]
Husk tomato		Plants	Physalis pubescens	24[52]
Silverleaf nightshade		Plants	Solanum elaeagnifolium	24[53]
Rice		Plants	Oryza sativa	24[34]
Snail		Animals		24
Bean		Plants	Phaseolus sp.	22[34]	All species in the genus have the same chromosome number, including P. vulgaris, P. coccineus, P. acutifolis,and P. lunatus.[34]
Virginia opossum		Animals	Didelphis virginiana	22[54]
Australian pitcher plant		Plants	Cephalotus follicularis	20 [22]
western clawed frog		Animals	Xenopus tropicalis	20[46]
Cannabis		Plants	Cannabis sativa	20
Maize		Plants	Zea mays	20[34]
Cabbage		Plants	Brassica oleracea	18[34]	Broccoli, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are all the same species and have the same chromosome number.[34]
Radish		Plants	Raphanus sativus	18[34]
Kangaroo		Animals		16	This includes several members genus Macropus, but not the red kangaroo (M. rufus, 20)[55]
Koala		Animals	Phascolarctos cinereus	16
Barley		Plants	Hordeum vulgare	14[34]
Pea		Plants	Pisum sativum	14[34]
Rye		Plants	Secale cereale	14[34]
Tasmanian devil		Animals	Sarcophilus harrisii	14
Slime mold		Other Eukaryotes	Dictyostelium discoideum	12 [56]
Swamp wallaby		Animals	Wallabia bicolor	10/11	11 for male, 10 for female[57]
Nematode		Animals	Caenorhabditis elegans	12/11	12 for hermaphrodites, 11 for males
Waterwheel plant		Plants	Aldrovanda vesiculosa	38 [22]
Thale cress		Plants	Arabidopsis thaliana	10
Fruit fly		Animals	Drosophila melanogaster	08 !8[58]	6 autosomal, and 2 sexual
Hieracium		Plants		08 !8
Indian muntjac		Animals	Muntiacus muntjak	06/7 !6/7[59]	female/male
Yellowfever mosquito		Animals	Aedes aegypti	06 !6[60]	The 2n=6 chromosome number is conserved in the entire family Culicidae, except in Chagasia bathana which has 2n=8.[60]
Spider mite		Animals		04 !4–14[61]	Spider mites (family Tetranychidae) are typically haplodiploidy (males are haploid, while females are diploid)[61]
Australian daisy		Plants	Brachyscome dichromosomatica	04 !4 [62]	This species can have more B chromosomes than A chromosomes at times, but 2n=4.
Jack jumper ant		Animals	Myrmecia pilosula	02 !2[63]	2 for females, males are haploid and thus have 1; smallest number possible. Other ant species have more chromosomes.[63]

Notes

See also

References

External links

• List of pages in English from Russian bionet site
• The dog through evolution
• Shared synteny of human chromosome 17 loci in Canids
• An atlas of the chromosome numbers in animals (1951); PDF downloads of each chapter
• Bell, G. (1982). The Masterpiece of Nature: The Evolution and Genetics of Sexuality (University of California Press, Berkeley), p. 450, (table with a compilation of haploid chromosome number of many algae and protozoa, in column "HAP").
• Nuismer, S.; Otto, S.P. (2004). "Host-parasite interactions and the evolution of ploidy". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 101: 11036–11039. doi:10.1073/pnas.0403151101.  (Supporting Data Set, with information on ploidy level and number of chromosomes of several protists)