Karyotype of Hynobius fucus Lai et Lue, 2008, a salamander endemic to Taiwan with comments in memory of June-Shian Lai, a pioneer in studies of mountainous salamanders (Urodela, Hynobiidae)

The chromosome number of <i>Hynobiusfucus</i> was found by Lai and Lue (2008) to be 2n = 58, displaying a karyomorph similar to those previously reported in stream-type salamanders from Taiwan. Based not only on cytogenetic features but also on developmental characteristics such as the embryonic stage and the presence of interdigital membranes during limb formation this species can be confidently classified as a lotic stream-type salamander. Morescalchi (1975) proposed that karyotype evolution in families of urodeles tends to proceed from higher to lower chromosome numbers. Our findings from Taiwan suggest karyotype evolution within the genus <i>Hynobius</i>, that is, the chromosome number of this species may have increased from 2n = 56 in the pond-type ancestor to 2n = 58 in this stream-type lineage.